Articles tagged with Astrocytes
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Astrocytes, the most common cell in the human nervous system, have been cultivated in a lab dish using embryonic and induced human stem cells. This breakthrough allows researchers to better understand their functions and develop new therapies for neurological disorders such as dementia and Parkinson's disease.
Researchers at Tufts University discovered that astrocytes play a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. The study found that disrupting astrocyte function in fruit flies led to altered daily rhythms, indicating the importance of these glial cells in controlling circadian behavior.
Astrocytes are essential for making long-term memories, and their dysfunction can lead to amnesia. Long-term memory formation depends on the delivery of lactate from astrocytes into neurons.
Researchers have discovered that specific human astrocytes derived from stem cells can repair damaged nervous systems and promote locomotor function in spinal cord injured rats. The study reveals the importance of creating beneficial cell types through tissue culture before transplantation, providing a potential new avenue for treating...
Researchers found that human umbilical cord blood cells stabilized the brain cell environment and aided astrocyte survival after oxygen deprivation. However, the cells also had an impact on cytokine expression, sometimes suppressing inflammation and other times enhancing it.
A new study reveals that astrocytes play a crucial role in regulating breathing by sensing changes in carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Activated astrocytes release ATP, which stimulates brain respiratory centers to adjust breathing rates accordingly.
Researchers successfully convert glial cells into two main classes of cortical neurons, paving the way for a potential therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery uses selective transduction of specific proteins to regulate DNA transcription and yields functioning synapses.
A research team led by Professor Magdalena Götz has successfully converted glial cells of the brain into two different functional classes of neurons. The findings could lead to new neuron generation and therapy development for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
A study reveals that early activation of astroglia in focal epilepsy drives neurons to generate epileptic discharges. This neuron-astrocyte interaction may represent a novel target for controlling epilepsy.
Researchers found that amyloid beta peptides induce calcium waves in astrocyte networks, which could clarify what causes Alzheimer's disease and suggest new drug targets. The study provides a potential link between the accumulation of Amyloid beta fragments and sustained disruption of calcium balance within cells.
Astrocytes, previously thought to support neurons, may also contribute to drug addiction through specific proteins. The new research suggests that these cells could serve as potential markers for addiction or targets for therapy
Researchers have discovered that high levels of lead can slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease. This finding suggests that lead may activate a novel pathway able to reduce neuroinflammation and slow neurodegeneration in ALS patients.
A recent study found that statins can have profoundly different effects on brain cells, including benefits in reducing cholesterol transporter expression but potential risks in increasing Alzheimer's disease-related proteins. The findings highlight the importance of personalized treatment approaches for individuals taking statin therapy.
A team of researchers led by Salk Institute scientist Sam Pfaff aims to develop a novel stem-cell derived therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The project focuses on growing clinical-grade astrocyte precursor cells and testing their efficacy and safety.
Astrocytes play a key role in generating fMRI signals by regulating blood vessel diameter and responding to changes in nerve cell activity. This discovery sheds light on the basic mechanisms behind fMRI signals and highlights the need for careful interpretation of imaging data.
French researchers have developed a strategy to promote neuronal regeneration after injury using gene therapy. By blocking the formation of cicatricial tissue, astrocytes can be controlled to promote neuronal survival and trigger axonal growth.
Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt identified a soluble Notch inhibitor, EGFL7, which blocks neural stem cell self-renewal and promotes differentiation into neurons. The findings offer potential medical applications in tissue development and neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have identified a protein called oct3 that plays a critical role in both Parkinson's disease and addictive drugs. The protein helps toxic chemicals reach dopamine neurons, leading to cell death in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Researchers discover organic cation transporter 3 (oct3) plays a critical role in both Parkinson's disease and drug addiction by transporting toxic chemicals into brain cells that die in patients with the condition. Oct3 helps astrocytes remove excess dopamine, leading to feelings of euphoria but also potential brain damage.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found a way to change one cell type into another by flooding it with specific messenger RNAs from another cell type. This approach, called Transcriptome induced phenotype remodeling (TIPeR), offers the possibility for a new type of cell-based therapy for neurodegener...
A study by University of California, San Diego researchers identified a protein called Nurr1 that protects neurons from excessive inflammation, which can lead to neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease. The protein's protective function was found to involve shutting off inflammatory responses in microglia and astrocytes.
Astrocytes, star-shaped nerve cells, use specific machinery and recognition molecules to recognize viral invaders and initiate inflammation. This understanding may lead to new treatment strategies for viral infections of the brain and spinal cord.
Astrocytes, supportive brain cells, produce inflammatory mediators in response to viral infection. The study provides new insights into the complex mechanisms of inflammation and has significant implications for diagnosis and treatment of brain infections.
Human astrocytes differ significantly from those in mice and rats, being bigger, faster, and more complex. This discovery has big implications for how our brains process information and suggests a higher cognitive functioning that defines humanity.
Research reveals that amyloid plaques may increase astrocyte activity throughout the brain, affecting neuronal function and potentially offering new therapeutic targets. The study uses advanced imaging techniques to demonstrate synchronized calcium wave transmission across astrocytes in plaque-bearing mice.
Researchers discovered that adding extra copies of a gene makes a protective protein neutralize toxic chemicals in the brain, preventing cell death. This breakthrough could offer profound protection against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and ALS.
A study funded by NIH found that astrocytes, not neurons, contribute to the urge to sleep when wakefulness is prolonged. The release of adenosine from these support cells causes sleep-inducing effects that can be inhibited by caffeine.
A genetic modification has prolonged the life of mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by boosting antioxidant production. The discovery offers new hope for treating ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Two studies using hES cell-derived motor neurons demonstrate that mutant SOD1-expressing astrocytes contribute to ALS degeneration through an inflammatory response and the production of reactive oxygen species. Pharmacological blockade of ROS production rescues motor neurons, identifying a potential therapeutic target for ALS.
Researchers have established a novel human stem cell-based model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), confirming that dysfunctional astrocytes can kill off healthy motor neurons. Treating the cultured cells with apocynin, an anti-oxidant, staved off motor neuron death caused by malfunctioning astrocytes.
In a breakthrough for ALS research, scientists successfully transplanted stem cell-like cells into rat models of the disease, slowing neuron loss and extending life. The treatment targets the cervical spinal cord, where motor neurons are most vulnerable to damage.
Astrocytes fine-tune synaptic plasticity by secreting and re-releasing neurotrophic factor BDNF, influencing long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD). This process affects neurons' ability to communicate with each other, impacting learning and memory.
Researchers have discovered two types of astrocyte support cells generated from a common stem cell-like precursor cell, one effective at promoting nerve regeneration and the other causing neuropathic pain. The study offers a promising approach to repairing spinal cord injuries without inducing pain syndromes.
Scientists have made a breakthrough in treating spinal cord injuries by manipulating stem cells to promote nerve regeneration. The research focused on astrocytes and found two distinct sub-types with robustly different effects when transplanted into injured adult nervous systems, offering hope for victims of paralysis.
Astrocytes undergo reorganization and may engulf attacking T cells, which could improve therapy for viral infections, brain tumors, and neurodegenerative disorders. This novel response mechanism offers new insights into brain cell defenses against immune cells.
Researchers at Harvard University have identified a key mechanism by which neural activity increases blood flow to the brain. Astrocytes play a crucial role in this process, releasing neurotransmitters that bind to and elevate intracellular calcium levels, leading to blood vessel dilation.
Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory have shown that star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes make noninvasive brain scans possible by regulating local blood flow. Astrocytes respond exquisitely to sensory drive, influencing neuronal responses and complex computations.
Astrocytes have been found to produce a protective protein called metallothionein (MT), which is secreted to surrounding nerves and helps prevent damage from free radicals and metal ions. The level of MT uptake by nearby nerves correlates with the extent of nerve repair.
Researchers at Harvard have developed gene probe eye drops that enable non-invasive monitoring of brain activity in living organisms. The technology uses MRI to detect tissue repair and has potential applications in treating neurological diseases, diagnosing conditions, and delivering therapeutic agents to the brain.
Researchers discovered that astrocytes play a crucial role in cannabinoid signaling, interacting with neurons through endocannabinoid-glutamate signaling. This finding may lead to the development of new treatments for cannabinoid-related drug abuse.
A new study has found that a gene called STAT3 can behave differently depending on genetic nuances between individuals, playing a tumor suppressor role in some glioblastoma cases. The discovery has laid the foundation for personalized medicine approaches to treat this devastating brain cancer.
In a breakthrough study, targeting astrocytes in mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) doubles the lifespan of affected animals. This finding suggests that astrocytes, support cells essential for neuronal function, may be viable targets to slow disease progression and extend life expectancy.
A study identified ADK as a molecular link between astrogliosis and neuronal dysfunction in epilepsy. Mice engineered with less ADK were protected from chemical-induced epilepsy, suggesting an ADK-based treatment strategy for individuals with epilepsy.
Researchers find that adenosine, a sleep-inducing brain chemical, plays a central role in deep brain stimulation's success. The technique disrupts abnormal nerve signals and alleviates symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease and other brain disorders.
University of Missouri-Columbia professors identify new mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease research. They plan to study the effects of A-beta protein and inflammation, with hopes for treatments that modify cellular responses.
Researchers found that astrocytes, carrying a mutated gene, induce motor neuron death in ALS patients. The study suggests that targeting these cells may lead to effective therapies and earlier diagnoses. This discovery could involve transplanting embryonic stem cells to replace damaged neurons.
Researchers at the University of Vermont have clarified the cellular process responsible for signaling regional blood flow changes in the brain. Astrocytes play a crucial role in communicating with blood vessels through potassium ions, leading to rapid dilation and increased local blood flow.
Uric acid may promote early intervention against chemical damage to neurons following spinal cord injury or stroke. The compound can stimulate astroglial cells to produce transporter proteins that carry harmful compounds away from damaged neurons.
Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital have identified a novel pathway that influences the timing of nerve-cell production, favoring neuron over astrocyte formation. This discovery may provide insights into diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and autism.
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center are working to reverse paralysis and lessen spinal cord injury effects through new projects funded by speeding fines. The grants support studies into nerve regeneration, astrocyte role, and remyelination.
Researchers found that eliminating a molecular switch allows immune cells to enter the central nervous system (CNS), leading to symptoms similar to multiple sclerosis. Eliminating this switch prevents destructive immune cells from entering CNS tissue, keeping mice healthy.
Researchers have discovered that astrocytes become activated when their whiskers are stimulated, sending signals to the brain. This finding challenges the long-held assumption that astrocytes don't communicate much and suggests they may be part of everyday brain function.
Researchers developed a new type of immature support cell from embryonic glial stem cells that can regenerate nerve fibers and promote healing. The study showed over 60% of sensory nerve fibers regenerating and more than two-thirds growing through the injury site in rats.
Researchers developed a new type of stem cell that can repair spinal cord injuries by promoting nerve fiber growth and suppressing scar tissue. The transplanted cells restored function in rats with spinal cord injuries, allowing them to walk normally within two weeks.
Researchers discovered that astrocytes promote myelination by releasing leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in response to electrical impulses. This finding may lead to new treatments for demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have created a detailed map of the lateral wall of the subventricle zone, suggesting the potential existence of human brain stem cells. The discovery also reveals displaced ependymal cells that may be related to cancer or neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center have discovered that astrocytes control blood flow in the brain, challenging the long-held assumption that neurons are the primary drivers. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of Alzheimer's disease, which may be more complex than previously thought.
Researchers at the Salk Institute have identified Wnt3 signaling molecules as crucial for controlling the fate of adult brain stem cells, leading to neuron differentiation. This finding has significant implications for regenerative medicine and our understanding of neurogenesis.
A recent Penn study found that astrocytes, a type of star-shaped glial cell, play a direct role in regulating communication between neurons. The study suggests that astrocytes modulate the level of adenosine, a signaling molecule involved in controlling wake-to-sleep transitions and epileptic seizures.
Researchers found that astrocytes can generate seizure activity by releasing the brain chemical glutamate, which hypes up neurons and causes them to fire uncontrollably. This discovery offers new hope for treating epilepsy by targeting overlooked brain cells instead of just reducing brain function.