New research published in the journal “Science” examines how neural stem cells may decrease ageing and brain injury.  It was previously assumed that neural stem cells were capable of producing neurons continuously, but the research found that they can often release a very limited number of neurons then perish.

Dr Joana Barbosa from the University of Coimbra discovered that neural stem cells can be directly converted into neurons and do not always maintain the same neural stem cell population.  That reduces the number of neural stem cells available in ageing and brain damage.

Dr Barbosa found the process of cellular division to be different to what was expected.  The neural stem cells do not subdivide into new neural stem cells, but instead divide asymmetrically into cells called neural progenitors (which produce neurones).  The neural stem cells perform this function a limited number of times then are consumed.

Dr Barbosa realised that after a brain injury, the neural progenitors moved to the site of the injury and released neurons in an attempt to deal with the injury.  Neural stem cells also altered the way they divide after a brain injury, switching to symmetrical division (splitting into two stem cells).

The researched used an innovative vivo imaging technique to monitor the progression of neural stem cells in the brains of adult zebrafish. This technology may be able to help scientists understand how neural stem cells function in human brains.

Understanding how neural stem cells can alter their behaviour and how that affects brain injury is an important step forward for medical research.

From: Neural Stem Cells May Reverse Ageing and Brain Injury

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