Figure 11. Model showing the way a growth cone senses the neighboring environment and organizes its cytoskeleton in terms of actin filaments and MTs.

The image shows the leading edge of the growth cone, where filopodia explore the environment thanks to the bundled actin filaments and the F-actin networks (giving structure to the lamellipodia). In addition to the actin filaments, the periphery of the growth cone is made of dynamic MTs that explore the region along F-actin bundles. The core of the growth cone instead, encloses stable bundles MTs that enter the growth cone from the axon shaft. At the zone between the core and the filopodia region, is placed the actomyosin contractile structure (forming the actin arcs).