Figure 5.

(a and b) Examples of experimentally measured probability distributions for the motion of the growth cones in the x direction. The red curves represent fits to the data with the solutions of the theoretical model given by Eq. 7. The fit parameters are the diffusion (cell motility) coefficient D, the damping coefficient γ, and the magnitudes V₀ and V of the external and feedback potential, respectively. (a) Data obtained for N = 331 untreated neurons measured at t = 40 h on PDMS surfaces with d = 4 μm. (b) Data obtained for N = 298 neurons treated with Taxol measured at t = 40 h on PDMS surfaces with d = 4 μm. (c and d) Simulated neuronal growth for untreated (c) and Taxol-treated neurons (d). The simulations are performed by using the values of the growth parameters obtained from the fit of the experimental data with solutions of Eq. 7 (see main text). To see this figure in color, go online.