Roger Sperry's chemoaffinity hypothesis presupposes that each neuron carries a unique 'ID tag' that allows it to make the appropriate connections. We estimate that the human brain is composed of about 10¹¹ neurons making 10¹⁴ synaptic connections, yet the human genome only contains about 20,000 protein-coding genes. Given that there are not enough genes to identify even a small fraction of these neurons, what strategies have evolved in order to achieve the enormous degree of wiring specificity required for normal nervous system function??

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The Answer of Roger Sperry's chemoaffinity hypothesis presupposes that each neuron carries a unique 'ID tag' that allows it to make the appropriate connections. We estimate that the human brain is composed of about 10¹¹ neurons making 10¹⁴ synaptic connections, yet the human genome only contains about 20,000 protein-coding genes. Given that there are not enough genes to identify even a small fraction of these neurons, what strategies have evolved in order to achieve the enormous degree of wiring specificity required for normal nervous system function??

Roger Sperry's Chemoaffinity Hypothesis Presupposes That Each Neuron Carries a Unique