Microarchitecture d'un neurone en culture

Microarchitecture of a three-week-old neuron in culture, observed using fluorescence microscopy. This neuron was taken from a rat embryo hippocampus. The hippocampus is a brain structure involved in learning and memory processes. Two components of the cytoskeleton, microtubules are marked in blue and actin filaments in green. The cytoskeleton is essential for the proper functioning of the neuron. It enables it to acquire and retain its shape, as well as organise the transport of proteins to the various cell compartments (axon, dendrites, synapses, etc.). In red, neurofascin protein is concentrated in way of the initial axon segment. This segment is the starting point of the electrical signal, known as the action potential, which propagates along the axon towards the other neurons.