Release date: 2018-04-08
Scientists from the University of Cambridge's Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research Center have discovered that a new stem cell in the brain can help the brain repair after brain damage or disease.
Image source: Andrea Brand/Leo Otsuki
One of the main goals of regenerative medicine is to effectively repair the brain after a disease such as a stroke, Alzheimer's disease, or an injury caused by aging. The brain itself has a poor ability to repair itself, but by targeting stem cells in the patient's brain, it may be possible to repair the patient's brain without surgery. Stem cells have the ability to produce all the cells of the brain, but remain in a resting state under normal conditions. Cells in resting state do not proliferate to produce new cells. Therefore, any regenerative medicine therapy that targets stem cells must first awaken these stem cells.
In a recent study published in Science, doctoral student Leo Otsuki and his mentor Professor Andrea Brand reported that they discovered a new resting stem cell (called G2 resting stem cell) with high potential in the field of regenerative medicine. Any resting stem cells previously discovered. More importantly, G2 resting stem cells can produce key cells in the brain, neurons and glial cells, faster than other stem cells, making them a more attractive target cell in therapeutic design.
"The brain itself can't repair itself, but these newly discovered stem cells suggest that maybe we have ways to improve the brain's ability to repair," Professor Brand said. "These stem cells are at rest, but once they wake up, they can produce critical brain cells."
By studying fruit flies, the authors discovered that a gene called tribles can selectively regulate G2 resting stem cells. Drosophila DNA has many similarities with human DNA, making them useful models for studying human genes. This tribbles gene also has homologous genes in the mammalian genome and is expressed in brain stem cells. Researchers believe that targeting tribbles may be a way to awaken G2 resting stem cells.
"We have discovered the genes that cause these cells to rest," Otsuki said. "The next step is to find possible drug molecules that inhibit this gene and awaken human stem cells. We believe that there are similar resting stem cells in other organs, so this discovery will promote the development of regenerative medicine and new drug development."
Reference: Leo Otsuki et al. Cell cycle heterogeneity directs the timing of neural stem cell activation from quiescence" Science (2018). DOI: 10.1126/science.aan8795
Source: Bio Valley
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