For a nervous system to function, it must be wired properly. Specifically, neurons need to find their targets and form synapses. The neuron maintains such connections for years, accommodating growth of the organism and making allowance for other neurons that synapse to access the same target. Fulfilling these functions make topological demands on neurons and their targets. To study this process we are reconstructing the neuromuscular junctions in the nematode C. elegans.

To determine the topology of this complex synaptic region we have reconstructed a segment of the ventral nerve cord from serial electron micrographs. The data are registered and assembled automatically and then reconstruction of individual neurons is performed using a modified path finding approach.