## 2 The System
### The ANM System
#### 2.3.1 Neuromolecular Information Processing  
The ANM system assumes that information processing occurs in the cytoskeleton of neurons, which we call neuromolecular information processing. This study used a two-dimensional space cellular automata (CA) to simulate the information-processing method on the cytoskeleton. We call these types of neurons information-processing (IP) neurons. Figure 6 illustrates the molecular structure of an information-processing neuron, where each grid represents a unit molecule of the cytoskeleton. This study assumed three types of molecules (represented by C1, C2, and C3). Each molecule type is responsible for signal transmission and has different transmission characteristics. For example, the transmission speed of the C1 type of elements is the slowest, but the influence of the signal transmission is the strongest. In contrast, the signal transmission influence of the C3 type of elements is the weakest but has the fastest transmission speed. Among the three, the transfer speed and influence of the C2 element type are between C1 and C3. In the cytoskeleton, each component unit can act as a signal input and output site. The input site is called a readin enzyme, whereas the output site is a readout enzyme. The readin enzymes receive signals from outside the neuron and convert them into signals that flow through the molecular structure, while readout enzymes play a role in controlling whether neurons fire. The neuron fires when a specific combination of signals reaches a location with readout enzymes and the total signal kinetic state reaches a certain level. However, this model has some limitations: the readin enzyme can be configured on any element, but the readout enzyme can only be configured on the C1  
Figure 6: The molecular structure of an information-processing neuron is represented as a two-dimensional grid. on the hypothesis in this study that only certain combinations of signals will cause neurons to fire. When a signal from outside the cell is sent to the cell membrane, it causes the reader enzyme to activate and further turn on elements in their exact location. Each enabled piece will affect adjacent aspects of the same type in turn. As described above, it initiates a specific signal flow in the cytoskeleton. For example, as shown in Figure 6, when the read enzyme at the (2, 2) position receives a signal, it will activate the C2 element and generate a signal that moves along the C2 element, moving from (2, 2) to (8, 2). To form a unidirectional signal flow during the process, the aspect turned on will enter a very short backlash period after transmitting the signal. During the backlash period, the element can no longer be activated and must wait until the backlash period ends, which ensures unidirectional transmission. Signals on different types of components can also affect each other through the MAP between them (of course, these effects are asymmetric). When a signal from one end reaches a place with a MAP, it will affect the kinetic state of different types of elements at the other end through the MAP (or even prompt the other end to generate new signal flows). The neuron triggers when a specific combination of signals reaches a location with a readout enzyme. The firing time of the neuron depends on how the cytoskeleton in the neuron integrates and processes these messages. The two-dimensional cytoskeleton in the ANM system is arranged in a wrap-around manner. There will be no boundary restrictions when moving within the cytoskeleton. Each basic unit has eight possible directions to move and might form a circular path. Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the signal movement path. For example, in Figure 6(a), the signal starting at location (3, 3) will move along (2,3), (1,3), and (8,3) and finally stop at (7,3). The other example, as shown in Figure 6(b), is that the signal starting at location (5,2) will follow (4,1), (3,8), (2,7), and (1,6) and finally stop at (8,5). Currently, the ANM system has 576 information-processing neurons (called cytoskeletal neurons).