Abstract
The specificity of synapses in the mammalian brain cannot possibly be accounted for by one-to-one biochemical matching. The alternative proposed in this article is that connections are genetically specified between classes of cells, but the final wiring pattern depends on the refinement of those collections by selective stabilisation during neuronal activity.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Young, J. Z., Proc. R. Soc., Lond. B, 139, 18 (1951).
Couteaux, R., Proc. R. Soc., Lond. B, 158, 457 (1963).
Katz, B., The Release of Neural Transmitter Substances (Liverpool University Press Liverpool, 1969).
Katz, B., and Miledi, R., J. Physiol., Lond., 224, 665 (1972).
Nachmansohn, D., and Neumann, E., Chemical and Molecular Basis of Nerve Activity (Academic, New York, 1975).
Levi-Montalcini, R., Angeletti, R., and Angeletti, P. V., in The Structure and Function of the Nervous Tissue (edit. by Bourne, G.) (Academic, New York, 1972).
Brenner, S., Br. Med. Bull., 29, 269–271 (1973).
Benzer, S., Sci. Am., 229, 24–37 (1973).
Britten, R., and Davidson, E., Science, 165, 349–357 (1969).
Wolpert, L., and Lewis, J. H., Fedn. Proc., 34, 14–20 (1975).
Sperry, R. W., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 50, 703–710 (1963).
Gaze, R. M., and Keating, M. J., Nature, 237, 375–378 (1972).
Prestidge, M., and Willshaw, D., Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B, 190, 77–98 (1975).
Gaze, R. M., The Formation of Nerve Connections, (Academic, London, (1970).
Jacobson, M., Science, 163, 543 (1969).
Mark, R., Memory and Nerve Cells Communication (Clarendon, Oxford, 1974).
Cajal, S. R., Histologie du Systéme Nerveux del' Homme et des Vertébrés (Maloine Paris, 1911).
Wiesel, T., and Hubel, D., J. comp. Neurol., 158, 307–318 (1974).
Pettigrew, J. D., J. Physiol., Lond., 237, 49–74 (1974).
Rosenblatt, F., Principles of Neurodynamics: Perceptrons and the Theory of Brain Mechanisms (Spartan Books, Washington, DC, 1961).
Von der Malsburg, C., Kybernik, 14, 85–100 (1973).
Changeux, J. P., Courrége, P., and Danchin, A., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 70, 2974–2978 (1973).
Changeux, J. P., and Danchin, A., in L'Unité de l' Homme, (edit by Morin, E., and Piattelli, M.), 320–357 (Le Seuil, Paris, 1974).
Nass, M. N., and Cooper, L. N., Biological Cybernetics, 19, 1–18 (1975).
Perez, R., Glass, L., and Shlaer, R., J. math. Biol., 1, 275–288 (1975).
Langley, J. N., J. Physiol., Lond., 23, 240 (1898).
Langley, J. N., and Anderson, H. K., J. Physiol., Lond., 31, 365–391 (1904).
De Castro, F., Trab. lab. Invest. biol. Univ. Madr., 34, 217–262 (1942).
Altman, J., and Anderson, W. J., J. comp. Neurol., 146, 355–406 (1972).
Hamori, J., in Neurobiology of Cerebellar Evolution and Development (edit. by Llinas, R.), 845–858 (American Medical Association, Chicago, 1969).
Herndon, R. M., Margolis, G., and Kilham, L., J. Neuropath. exp. Neurol., 30, 557–570 (1971).
Hirano, A., Dembitzer, H., and Jones, M., ibid., 31, 113–125 (1972).
Llinas, R., Hillman, D. E., and Precht, W., J. Neurobiol., 4, 69–94 (1973).
Sidman, R., in The Cell Surface in Development, (edit. by Moscona, A.) 221–253, (Wiley, New York, 1974).
Rakic, P., and Sidman, R., J. comp. Neurol., 152, 133–162 (1973).
Hirano, A., and Dembitzer, J., J. Cell, Biol., 56, 478–486 (1973).
Sotelo, C., and Changeux, J. P., Brain Res., 77, 484–491 (1974).
Sotelo, C., Brain Res., 94, 19–44 (1975).
Landmesser, L., J. Physiol., 213, 707–725 (1971).
Landmesser, L., J. Physiol., 220, 243–256 (1972).
Bennett, M., McLachlan, E., and Taylor, R., J. PhysioL., Lond., 233, 501 (1973).
Guth, L., Am. J. Physiol, 185, 205–208 (1956).
Matsumura, M., and Koelle, G. B., J. Pharmac. exp. Ther., 134, 28–46 (1961).
McLachlan, E., J. Physiol., Lond., 237, 217–242 (1974).
Purves, D., Nature, 256, 589–590 (1975).
Nurse, C. A., and O'Lague, P. H., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 72, 1955–1959 (1975).
Betz, N., J. Physiol., 254, 75–86 (1976).
O'Lague, P. H., Obata, K., Claude, P., Furshpan, E. J., and Potter, D. D., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 71, 3602 (1974).
Lopresti, V., Macagno, E., and Levinthal, C., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 70, 433–437 (1973).
Levinthal, F., Macagno, E., and Levinthal, C., Cold Spring Harb. Symp quant. Biol., 40, 321–332 (1975).
Hamburger, V., in The Neurosciences Second Study Program (edit. by Schmidt, F. O.), 141–151 (Rockefeller University Press, New York, 1970).
Levi-Montalcini, R., and Visintini, F., Soc. Ital. Biol. Sper. Naples Boll., 13, 979–981 (1938).
Ripley, K. L., and Provine, R. R., Brain Res., 45, 127–134 (1972).
Oppenheim, R. W., in Advances in the Study of Behaviour, (edit. by Lehrman, D., Hinde, Shaw, and Rosenblatt), (Academic, New York, 1974).
Bennett, M. R., and Pettigrew, A. G., J. Physiol., 241, 515–545 (1974).
Filogamo, G., and Gabella, G., Arch. Biol. Liége, 78, 9–60 (1967).
Mumenthaler, M., and Engel, W. K., Acta Anat., 47, 274–299 (1961).
Kelly, A. M., and Zacks, S. I., J. Cell Biol., 42. 154–169 (1969).
Teräväinen, H., Z. Zellforsch. mikrosk. Anat., 87, 249–265 (1968).
Diamond, J., and Miledi, R., J. Physiol, 162, 393–408 (1962).
Vogel, Z., Sytkowski, A., and Nirenberg, M., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 69, 3180–3184 (1972).
Hartzell, H., and Fambrough, D., Devl Biol, 30, 153–165 (1973).
Kano, M., and Shimada, Y., J. Cell Biol., 78, 233 (1971).
Robbins, N., and Yonezawa, T., J. gen. Physiol, 58, 467 (1971).
Fischbach, G. Z., and Cohen, S., Devl Biol, 31, 147–162 (1973).
Kidokoro, Y., and Heinemann, S., Nature, 252, 593–594 (1974).
Vaughn, J. E., and Grieshaber, J. A., J. comp. Neurol., 148, 177–210 (1973).
Skoff, R., and Hamburger, V., J. comp. Neurol., 153, 107–148 (1974).
Privat, A., Drian, M., and Mandon, P., J. comp. Neurol., 153, 291–307 (1974).
Pappas, G., Fox, G., Masurovsky, E., Peterson, E., and Crain, S., Adv. Neurol., 12, 163–180 (1975).
Fischbach, G. Z., in (Pathogenesis of the Human Muscular Dystrophies (edit. by Rowland, L.), (in the press).
Filogamo, G., in Symp. int. Soc. Cell Biol, 321–333 (Academic . New York 1969).
Bray, D., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 65, 905–910 (1970).
Collin, R., Le Névraxe, 8, 185 (1906).
Hughes, A., Aspects of Neural Ontogeny (Academic, New York, 1968).
Prestidge, M. C., Brit. Med. Bull., 30, 107–111 (1974).
Cowan, W. M., in Development and Ageing of the Nervous System (edit. by Rockstein, M.), (Academic, New York, 1973).
Hamburger, V., J. comp. Neurol., 160, 535–546 (1975).
Hughes, A., J. Embryol. exp. Morph., 9, 269–284 (1961).
Harris, J. B., and Flanagan, A. E., J. Morph., 129, 281–305 (1969).
Romanes, G. J., J. Anat., 80, 117–131 (1946).
Redfern, P., J. Physiol., 209, 701–709 (1970).
Jansen, J. K., Van Essen, D. C., and Brown, M. C., Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol, 40, 425–434 (1976).
Benoit, P., and Changeux, J. P., Brain Res., 99, 354–358 (1975).
Sissons, H., in Research in Muscular Dystrophy, 89–98(Pitman, London, 1963).
Westerman, R., Lewis, D., Bagust, J., Edjtehadi, G., and Pallot, D., in Memory and Transfer of Information, (edit. by Zippel, H.), 255–291 (Plenum, London, 1973).
Nystrom, B., Acta neurol. Scand., 44, 363–383 (1968).
Bagust, J., Lewis, D., and Westerman, R., J. Physiol. Lond., 237, 75–90 (1974).
Bagust, J., Lewis, D., and Westerman, R., J. Physiol., Lond., 229, 241–255 (1973).
Eccles, J. L., Llinas, R., and Sasaki, K., J. Physiol., Lond., 182, 268–296 (1966).
Delhaye-Bouchaud, N., Crepel, F., and Mariani, J., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 281, 909–912 (1975).
Crepel, F., Mariani, J., and Delhaye-Bouchaud, N., J. Neurobiol., (in the press).
Hamburger, V., J. exp. Zool, 68, 449–494 (1934).
Hamburger, V., and Levi-Montalcini, R., J. exp. Zool, 111, 457–502 (1949).
Hamburger, V., Am. J. Anat., 102, 365–410 (1958).
Prestige, M. C., J. Embryol. exp. Morph., 13, 63–72. (1965).
Prestige, M. C., J. Embryol. exp. Morph., 17, 453–471 (1967).
Prestige, M. C., J. Embryol. exp. Morph., 18, 359–387 (1967).
Burt, A., and Narayanan, C. H., Expl Neurol., 29, 201–210 (1970).
Sotelo, C., and Changeux, J. P., Brain Res., 67, 519–526 (1974).
Crepel, F., and Mariani, J., J, Brain Res., 98, 135–147 (1975).
Mallet, J., Huchet, M., Pougeois, R., and Changeux, J. P., Brain Res., 103, 291–312 (1976).
Drachman, D. B., Arch. Neurol., 17, 206–218 (1967).
Drachman, D. B., in Growth of the Nervous System, (edit. by Wolstenholme, G. E., and O'Connor, M.), 251–273 (Churchill, London, 1968).
Drachman, D. B., Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sc., 183, 158–170 (1971).
Drachman, D. B., J. Physiol., Lond., 226, 619–627 (1972).
Giacobini, G., Filogamo, G., Weber, M., Boquet, P., and Changeux, J. P., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 70, 1708–1712 (1973).
Giacobini-Robecchi, M. G., Giacobini, G., Filogamo, G., and Changeux, J. P., Brain Res., 83, 107–121 (1975).
Giacobini, G., Giacobini-Robecchi, M. G., Filogamo, G., and Changeux, J. P., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 283, 271–274 (1976).
Gordon, T., Perry, R., Tuffery, A., and Vrbova, G., Cell Tiss. Res., 155, 13–25 (1974).
Gordon, T., Tuffery, A., and Vrbova, G., in Recent Advances in Myology, 22–26 (Excepta Medica, Amsterdam, 1974).
Gordon, T., and Vrbova, G., Pflüger's Arch., 360, 349–364 (1975).
Duchen, L. W., J. Neurol. Sci., 14, 47–60 (1971).
Miledi, R., and Szczepaniak, Proc. R. Soc. B., 190, 267–274 (1975).
Banks, B. E., Shipolini, R., and Szczepaniak, A., Bull. Inst. Pasteur, 74, 25–33 (1976).
Crain, S. M., and Peterson, E. R., In vitro, 6, 373 (1971).
Cohen, M. W., Brain Res., 41, 457–463 (1972).
Steinbach, J. H., Harris, A. J., Patrick, J., Schubert, D., and Heinemann, S., J. gen. Physiol., 62, 255–270 (1973).
Steinbach, J. H., Nature, 248, 70–71 (1974).
Van Essen, D., and Jansen, J. K., Acta Physiol. Scand., 91, 571–573 (1974).
Freeman, J., Lutin, W. A., and Brady, R. N., Abut. Am. Ass. Neurosci., 91 (1976).
Woodward, D. T., Hoffer, B. J., and Altman, J., J. Neurobiol., 5, 283–304 (1974).
Crepel, F., Delhaye-Bouchaud, N., and Legrand, J., Arch. Ital. Biol, 114, 49–74 (1976).
Mariani, J., and Crepel, F., J. Neurobiol., (in the press).
Thoenen, H., Pharmacol. revs., 24, 255–267 (1972).
Hendry, I., and Iversen, L., Nature, 243, 500–504 (1973).
Iversen, L., Stöckel, K., and Thoenen, H., Brain Res., 88, 37–43 (1975).
Barnard, E., Wieckowski, J., and Chiu, T. H., Nature, 234, 207–209 (1971).
Fambrough, D., and Hartzell, H. C., Science N. Y., 176, 189–191 (1972).
Porter, C. W., Chiu, T. H., Wieckowski, J., and Barnard, E., Nature new Biol., 241, 3–7 (1973).
Porter, C. W., and Barnard, E., Chiu, T., J. mem. Biol., 14, 383–402 (1974).
Salpeter, M., and Eldefrawi, M., J. Histochem. Cytochem., 21, 769–778 (1973).
Fertuck, H., and Salpeter, M., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 71, 1376–1378 (1974).
Porter, C., and Barnard, E., J. Mem. Biol., 20, 31–49 (1975).
Bourgeois, J. P., Ryter, A., Menez, A., Fromageot, P., Boquet, P., and Changeux, J. P., FEBS Lett., 25, 127 (1972).
Bourgeois, J. P., thesis, Univ. Paris (1974).
Bourgeois, J. P., Popot, J. L., Ryter, A., and Changeux, J. P., Brain Res., 62, 557–563 (1973).
Tello, F., Trab. lab. Invest. Biol. Univ. Mad., 5, 117–151 (1927).
Taver, S., Physiol. Rev., 19, 1–48 (1939).
Gutmann, E., and Young, J. Z., J. Anat. Lond., 78, 15–43 (1944).
Birks, R., Katz, B., and Miledi, R., J. Physiol., 150, 145–168 (1960).
Axelson, J., and Thesleff, S., J. Physiol., 147, 178–193 (1959).
Miledi, R., J. Physiol., 151, 1–23 (1960).
Miledi, R., J. Physiol., 151, 24–30 (1960).
Lee, C. Y., Tseng, L., and Chiu, T., Nature, 215, 1177–1178 (1967).
Frank, E., Gautvik, K., and Sommershild, H., Acta Physiol. Scand., 95, 66 (1975).
Hartzell, C., and Fambrough, D., Dev. Biol., 30, 153–165 (1973).
Devreotes, P. N., and Fambrough, D., J. Cell Biol., 65, 335–358 (1975).
Fambrough, D. E., in Neurochemistry of Cholinergic Receptors (edit by De Robertis, E., and Schacht, J.), (Raven, New York, 1974).
Edidin, M., A. Rev. Biophys. Bioengng, 3, 179 (1974).
Edidin, M., and Fambrough, D., J. Cell Biol., 57, 27 (1973).
Berg, D., and Hall, Z. W., Science, 184, 473–475 (1974).
Chang, C., and Huang, M., Nature, 253, 643–644 (1975).
Berg, D., and Hall, Z. W., J. Physiol., 252, 771–789 (1975).
Brockes, J. P., and Hall, Z. W., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 72, 1368–1372 (1975).
Merlie, J., Sobel, A., Changeux, J. P., and Gros, F., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci U. S. A., 72, 4028–4032 (1975).
Devreotes, P., and Fambrough, D. M., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 73, 161–164 (1976).
Merlie, J., Changeux, J. P., and, Gros, S., Nature, 264, 74–76 (1976).
Beranek, R., and Vyskočil, F., J. Physiol., Lond., 188, 53–66 (1967).
Feltz, A., and Mallart, A., J. Physiol., Lond., 228, 101–116 (1971).
Alper, R., Lowy, J., and Schmidt, J., FEBS Lett., 48, 130–134 (1974).
Brockes, J., and Hall, Z. W., Biochemistry, 14, 2100–2106 (1975).
Teichberg, V., and Changeux, J. P., FEBS Lett., 67, 264–268 (1976).
Changeux, J. P., in Cell Surface in Development (edit. by Moscona, A. A.), 207–220 (Wiley, New York, 1974).
Fambrough, D., Science, 168, 372–373 (1970).
Grampp, W., Harris, J. B., and Thesleff, S., J. Physiol., Lond., 221, 743–754 (1972).
Lømo, T., and Rosenthal, G., J. Physiol., Lond., 221, 493–513 (1972).
Drachman, D., and Witzke, F., Science, 176. 514–516 (1972).
Lømo, T., and Westgaard, R. H., J. Physiol., Lond., 252, 603–626 (1975).
Hogan, P., Marshall, J. P., and Hall, Z. W., Nature, 261, 328–330 (1976).
Cohen, S., and Fischbach, G., Science, N. Y., 181, 76–78 (1973).
Changeux, J. P., Courrege, P., and Danchin, A., C. R. Acad. Sci. (in the press).
Greengard, P., Nature, 260, 101–108 (1976).
Cohen, P., Trends Biochem Sci., 1, 38–42 (1976).
Boyer, P., The Enzymes, (3rd edn), 8, 9 (Academic, New York, 1974).
Stadtman, E., in The Enzymes, (3rd edn), 10, (edit. by Boyer, P.), 755–808 (Academic, New York, 1974).
Roseman, S., Chem. Phys. Lipids, 5, 270–297 (1970).
Sharon, N., Sci. Amer., 230, 78–85 (1974).
Cabib, E., Ulane, R., and Bowers, F., in Current Topics in Cellular Regulation (edit. by Horecker, B., and Stadtman, E.), 8.
Holzer, H., in Metabolic Interconversion of Enzymes (edit. by Fischer, E., Krebs, E., Neurath, H., and Stadtman, E. R.), (Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1973).
Edelman, G. M., Science, 192, 218–225 (1976).
Whittaker, V. P., Naturwissenschaften, 60, 280 (1974).
Hubbard, J. L., Musick, J., and Silinsky, E., Colloque: la Transmission Choliner-gique del'Excitation, 187–195 (INSERM, 1972).
Stent, G., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 70, 997 (1973).
Rasmussen, H., Science, 170, 404 (1970).
Rose, B., and Loewenstein, W., Science, 190, 1204–1206 (1975).
Tomkins, G., Science, 189, 760–763 (1975).
Takeuchi, N., J. Physiol., Lond., 167, 141–155 (1963).
Lièvremont, M., Czajka, M., and Tazieff-Depierre, C. R. Acad. Sci., 267, 1988–1991 (1968).
Kasai, M., and Changeux, J. P., J. Memhr. Biol., 6, 24–57 (1971).
Evans, R. H., J. Phvsiol., Lond., 240, 517–533 (1974).
Baker, P. F., Hodgkin, A. L., and Ridgway, E., J. Physiol., Lond., 218, 709 (1971).
Llinas, R., Blinks, J. R., and Nicholson, C., Science, 176, 1127 (1972).
Stinnakre, J., and Tauc, L., Nature, 242, 113–115 (1973).
Gordon, T., Purves, R., and Vrbova, G., J. Physiol., Lond. (in the press).
Kugelberg, E., J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr., 12, 129 (1949).
Buchthal, F., Med. Neurol., 3, 16 (1962).
Desmedt, J. E., and Borenstein, S., Nature, 246, 500–501 (1973).
Henser, J. E., and Reese, T. S., J. Cell Biol., 57, 315 (1973).
Zimmermann, H., and Whittaker, V. P., J. Neurochem., 22, 435–450 (1974).
Buisseret, P., and Imbert, M., J. Physiol., Lond., 255, 511–525 (1976).
Landmesser, L., and Morris, D., J. Physiol., Lond., 249, 301–326 (1975).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Changeux, JP., Danchin, A. Selective stabilisation of developing synapses as a mechanism for the specification of neuronal networks. Nature 264, 705–712 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/264705a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/264705a0
This article is cited by
-
The times they are a-changin’: a proposal on how brain flexibility goes beyond the obvious to include the concepts of “upward” and “downward” to neuroplasticity
Molecular Psychiatry (2023)
-
Meta-connectomic analysis maps consistent, reproducible, and transcriptionally relevant functional connectome hubs in the human brain
Communications Biology (2022)
-
Nine Levels of Explanation
Human Nature (2021)
-
Can Reasons and Values Influence Action: How Might Intentional Agency Work Physiologically?
Journal for General Philosophy of Science (2021)
-
Hybrid models of chemotaxis with application to leukocyte migration
Journal of Mathematical Biology (2021)