A grid of evenly spaced, small white dots arranged in a circular pattern on a light gray background. The dots gradually fade out toward the edges.

Neuronal Development

Constructing and de-constructing neurons.

A single neuron with visible extensions on a plain gray background.

Biological transport systems — such as neuronal and vascular networks — are remarkable in their ability to build themselves. These systems grow and reshape through the relocation and consumption of mass, often relying on the very transport pathways they are creating. However, this dependence of growth on the transport of building material is frequently overlooked in self-organizing growth models.

Our project develops a one-dimensional transport network model that links material flow to network growth and retraction. By modeling tip growth as dependent on local concentrations of transported material, we can simulate the dynamic feedback between transport and structure.

Inspired by the active processes of neuronal development, our work explores how local material delivery and recycling shape evolving networks. In collaboration with CCBx and CCB Scope, we are testing our theoretical predictions against the observed growth trajectories of real neurons.