Scientists Create Novel Organism With Primitive Nervous System

Researchers at Tufts University and the Wyss Institute created neurobots The neurons showed hallmark features of nervous systems including protein markers for synapses. Calcium imaging confirmed that the neurons were electrically active and functioning in simple networks. Compared with non-neural xenobots the neurobots grew larger and more elongated and displayed complex repeating movement patterns rather than simple paths. Exposure to pentylenetetrazole a drug that affects brain activity altered the movement of neurobots differently than it did non-neural biobots. The researchers also found activation of genes involved in visual perception. The findings were reported recently in Advanced Science. The work was led