Intermediate targets hypothesized to be located along the path from the periphery to the central nervous system that act as choice points for a developing axon through expressing unique surface molecules that are recognised by the filopodia of the growth cone. The floor plate of the spinal cord appears to be a class of specialised cells that guide commissural axons by the secretion of chemoattractants. The pioneering growth cones are also influenced by other cues. Thus, the guidepost cells exert only one of a number of influences on the pathway of growing axons.
See Axon, Axonal pathway selection, Filopodia, Growth cone