How nerve and vascular cells coordinate their growth

Study by the Universities of Bonn and Heidelberg provides insights into a carefully choreographed dance. When the PlexinD1 gene is not functioning, - blood vessels ( red ) migrate in a disorganized manner to regions with motor neurons ( green ). Image: AG Ruiz de Almodovar/University of Bonn . Nerve cells need a lot of energy and oxygen. They receive both through the blood. This is why nerve tissue is usually crisscrossed by a large number of blood vessels. But what prevents neurons and vascular cells from getting in each other's way as they grow? Researchers at the Universities of Heidelberg and Bonn, together with international partners, have identified a mechanism that takes care of this.