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stem cells

The image is a brain scan of a patient with recurrent glioblastoma.

·March 12, 2013·3 min read

Using Fat to Fight Brain Cancer

Researchers discover stem cells from a patient's own fat could potentially deliver new treatments directly to the brain after the removal of a glioblastoma, the most common form of brain cancer.

The image shows the neural projections formed from a mouse embryonic stem cell. The caption best describes this image.

Featured Genetics

·February 26, 2013·2 min read

Sweet News for Stem Cell’s ‘Holy Grail’

Using a sugar-coated scaffold, researchers move closer to unlocking the therapeutic use of stem cells to treat a wide range of diseases from Alzheimer's to diabetes.

The image shows Gage Crump, head research for this project.

Featured Genetics

·February 11, 2013·3 min read

Researchers Uncover Genetic Clues Which may Lead to Better Understanding of Organ Development and Birth Defects

Researchers have discovered clues to the development of the head at the cellular level, which could point scientists to a better understanding of how organs and birth defects form in humans.

The image shows a lego man acting as a gatekeeper for the brain activity to neuronal growth.

Featured Psychology

·February 7, 2013·4 min read

Researchers Uncover Key to Antidepressant Response

Researchers identify a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy. The experimental results explain how these therapies likely work to relieve depression by stimulating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature.

The image shows Newborn neurons in the brain of a 3 month old mouse.

Featured Neurology

·February 7, 2013·3 min read

Dickkopf Makes Fountain of Youth in the Brain Run Dry

Scientists have discovered that significantly more neurons are generated in the brains of older animals if the signaling molecule Dickkopf-1 is turned off. The results give rise to the question whether the function of Dickkopf-1 may be turned off using drugs to prevent age related cognitive decline.

The image shows the gut nervous system. The caption explains the image best.

Featured Genetics

·February 1, 2013·5 min read

How Deficiencies in Two Genes Synergize to Halt Formation of Gut Nervous System

Researchers identify a new gene associated with Hirschprung Disease and show how the migration of cells that form the gut nervous system is impeded when the combined doses of two candidate genes are low. Understanding the genetic basis of HSCR offers hope for better diagnostics and treatment for it and other developmental defects caused by failure of cell migration.

The image shows the cell nuclei in human embryonic stem cells.

Featured Genetics

·January 22, 2013·3 min read

Stem Cell Research Aims to Help Identify Origins of Schizophrenia

New research demonstrates how defects in an important neurological pathway in early development may be responsible for the onset of schizophrenia later in life.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 21, 2013·3 min read

Researchers Turn One Form of Neuron into Another in the Brain

A new finding turns one of the basics of neurobiology on its head, demonstrating that it is possible to turn one type of already differentiated neuron into another within the brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 26, 2012·2 min read

Stimulating Brain Cells with Light

The work will be conducted on laboratory rats modelling Parkinson’s disease. The transplanted cells will be derived from skin from an adult human and will have been “reprogrammed” as nerve cells. The light-sensitive protein is obtained from a bacterium, which uses light to gain energy.

Neurons are shown. Caption describes it well.

Brain Cancer Featured Neurology

·October 22, 2012·3 min read

Aggressive Brain Tumors Can Originate from a Range of Nervous System Cells

Scientists have long believed that glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive type of primary brain tumor, begins in glial cells that make up supportive tissue in the brain or in neural stem cells. Researchers found that the tumors can originate from other types of differentiated cells in the nervous system, including cortical neurons.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 9, 2012·5 min read

Neuroscientists Find Brain Stem Cells that May Be Responsible for Higher Functions, Bigger Brains

A neuron’s fate was thought to be determined by the timing of its birth date. Neuroscientists recently showed that there is a distinct stem cell progenitor that gives rise to upper layer neurons, regardless of birth date or place.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 6, 2012·4 min read

Brain’s Stem Cells Eavesdrop to Find Out When to Act

Working with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have figured out how stem cells found in a part of the brain responsible for learning, memory and mood regulation decide to remain dormant or create new brain cells. Apparently, the stem cells “listen in” on the chemical communication among nearby neurons to get an idea about what is stressing the system and when they need to act.