This article has been republished from materials provided by Penn State.
A simple drug cocktail that converts cells neighboring damaged neurons into functional new neurons could potentially be used to treat stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and brain injuries. A team of researchers at Penn State identified a set of four, or even three, molecules that could convert glial cells–which normally provide support and insulation for neurons–into new neurons. A paper describing the approach appears online in the journal Stem Cell Reports on February 7, 2019.
“The biggest problem for brain repair is that neurons don’t regenerate after brain damage, because they don’t divide,” said Gong Chen, professor of biology and Verne M. Willaman Chair in Life Sciences at Penn State and leader of the research team. “In contrast, glial cells, which gather around damaged brain tissue, can proliferate after brain injury. I believe turning glial cells that are the…
For the rest of the article, please read https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/drug-combo-creates-new-neurons-from-neighboring-cells-315118.
Last modified: February 26, 2019
