Scientists are intensely interested in understanding the role
neuroinflammation plays in neurodegenerative disease. In the April 16
Neuron, researchers led by Kim Green at the University of California,
Irvine, provide a powerful new tool for doing so. Green and colleagues
reported that a small molecule inhibitor eliminated virtually all
microglia from the brains of wild-type mice, dousing ongoing
inflammation. The mice remained healthy and active for at least two
months, and even learned some cognitive tests faster than controls. Once
the inhibitor was withdrawn, microglia rapidly repopulated the brain,
returning to normal numbers within two weeks. Surprisingly, these
microglia appeared to arise from progenitor cells scattered throughout
the brain, rather than entering from the peripheral bloodstream as some
previous studies had found. If confirmed, this would represent the first
identification of a microglial progenitor in brain. “This has the
potential to be the largest, most widespread stem cell pool in the
brain,” Green told Alzforum.
Here's the paper:-
neuroinflammation plays in neurodegenerative disease. In the April 16
Neuron, researchers led by Kim Green at the University of California,
Irvine, provide a powerful new tool for doing so. Green and colleagues
reported that a small molecule inhibitor eliminated virtually all
microglia from the brains of wild-type mice, dousing ongoing
inflammation. The mice remained healthy and active for at least two
months, and even learned some cognitive tests faster than controls. Once
the inhibitor was withdrawn, microglia rapidly repopulated the brain,
returning to normal numbers within two weeks. Surprisingly, these
microglia appeared to arise from progenitor cells scattered throughout
the brain, rather than entering from the peripheral bloodstream as some
previous studies had found. If confirmed, this would represent the first
identification of a microglial progenitor in brain. “This has the
potential to be the largest, most widespread stem cell pool in the
brain,” Green told Alzforum.
Here's the paper:-
No comments:
Post a Comment