Neurons in the brain communicate with each other through synapses—connection points that allow the passage of electrical and chemical signals. In non-neuronal cells, direct cell-to-cell connections have been found to occur with the assistance of nanotube structures. In particular, tunneling nanotubes (TNT) have exhibited material exchange in some cell types. These TNTs have been documented in dissociated neurons in the brain, but their presence and function in mature brain neurons was unclear.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
