Nature issued an Expression of Concern regarding a 1999 paper. The article, "En passant neurotrophic action of an intermediate axonal target in the developing mammalian CNS," faces scrutiny. Concerns center on image irregularities in Figure 5. Specifically, panels 5a and 5b show suspiciously similar background regions.
The announcement came online today. Editors flagged the issue due to potential data manipulation. Authors claim the panels depict the same tissue explant at different times. They further stated original data is unavailable due to the article's age.
The journal urges caution in interpreting the paper's findings. The validity of the results is now in question. Scientific discourse surrounding axonal development may be affected.
The 1999 study explored how axons navigate during CNS development. It investigated the role of intermediate targets. The research aimed to understand neuronal connections.
Nature advises readers to consider the Expression of Concern. Further investigation or re-evaluation of the findings is possible. The scientific community awaits further developments.
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