An instruction language for the explicit programming of axonal growth patterns

In this paper, we present a language for designing instruction codes leading to the formation of axonal and dendritic branching patterns. Our approach is based on the expression of membrane receptors, which induce specific actions such as elongation, retraction and bifurcation in response to the presence of signaling molecules. We show in simulation how we can use this instruction language to specify the intrinsic properties of neurons, so that their different elongating branches interact with the local environment, and form a desired global morphology.