‘Genetics’ Neuroscience Articles
Human Embryonic Stem Cells Used to Create Variety of Motor Neurons in Lab
Researchers created a wide variety of motor neurons using human embryonic stem cells and a new technique. In previous research, scientists were only able to create one kind of motor neuron that required a technique using retinoic acid. This new method does not rely on the [Read More]
Alzheimer’s Symptoms Reversed in Mice with Human Tau Genes
Alzheimer’s disease research has lead to important findings involving the tau gene and the possibility of reversing the disease’s progression. The researchers used transgenic mice with two different human tau gene variants. One variant leads to tau proteins that [Read More]
Stem Cells Delivered in Nasal Spray Ease Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms in Rats
Scientists have shown that stem cells delivered to rats via a nasal spray lead to an improvement of motor functions in rats with Parkinson’s disease like symptoms. Mesenchymal stem cells sprayed into the rat noses migrated to the brain and survived for at least 6 [Read More]
Genetic Mutations in Brain Tumors Could Turn Out Useful
Scientists have discovered genetic mutations in brain tumors that alter brain tumor metabolism. The scientists report that cells with defective IDH1 or IDH2 genes had over 100 more metabolites with altered concentrations than cells without defective IDH1 or IDH2 genes. One [Read More]
Myelination, Schwann Cells Devastated in Erk Knock-out Mice
The researchers knocked out the Erk gene during peripheral nervous system development in mice. The researchers noticed the neurons of these knock-out mice were largely unaffected, but Schwann cells were "just devastated at every stage of development." [Read More]
Adrenaline Receptor Imaged for First Time
New imaging techniques using newly developed stable antibodies and X-ray crystallography allows imaging of the adrenaline receptors for the first time. The ability to view these quickly changing receptors is likely to open up many new paths for researchers working on heart, [Read More]
Gene Translation Targeted in Huntington’s Disease Research
Huntington’s disease research using simple organisms such as baker’s yeast has yielded new information about underlying mechanisms of Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. The research points to possible problems in the protective [Read More]
Another Marathon Mouse Engineered – Boosting Acetylcholine Reduces Fatigue
After inserting a gene into mice that increases choline transporter and as a result increases acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junctions, the engineered mice were able to run on treadmills twice as long as controls without the inserted gene. [Read More]
Pain in the Potassium Channels
The removal of a certain class of potassium channels from the surface of nociceptors is believed to be a key factor in inflammatory pain signaling. Using gene interference to reduce the expression of these specific potassium channels on nociceptors, researchers were able to [Read More]
Zif Protein Controls Brain Stem Cells
Zif proteins have been found to control whether a brain stem cell differentiates into a neuron or renews as a brain stem cell. There are Zif related proteins in humans that may be targeted by new treatments for brain cancer and other diseases. [Read More]
