Unraveling the Symphony: How Brain Stem Cells Dance through Identity Conflicts.
Healthcare News Update(simplified version)
Scientists discovered a key process in brain cells that stops them from getting confused about their identity when genes are being used. This process helps the cells stay as stem cells while getting ready to become neurons.
They found that by keeping messages from neuron genes inside the nucleus while messages from stem cell genes are being read, the cells avoid turning into neurons too soon.
Understanding this process helps us see how stem cells can control two sets of genes at once without making mistakes. This finding is important for regenerative medicine and understanding how the brain works.
Major Facts to note:
- Understanding Brain Cells: Brain cells can handle two jobs at once, keeping their stem cell traits while getting ready to become neurons by holding onto certain gene messages inside the nucleus.
- Keeping Cells on Track: This process helps cells stay true to their identity while preparing to change into neurons, avoiding confusion during the transformation.
- Big Impact on Medicine: Figuring out this process could improve treatments for nervous system issues and injuries, making regenerative medicine more effective.
Before proceeding let us understand the terms stated here and make it more relatable.
What are neural stem cells?
Neural stem cells are special cells in the brain that can grow into different types of brain cells.
Uses of neural stem cells:
- Regenerative Medicine: Neural stem cells can be used to repair damaged brain tissue after injury or stroke.
- Treating Neurological Disorders: They hold promise for treating conditions like Parkinson’s disease, where brain cells degenerate.
- Laboratory Research: Neural stem cells are valuable for studying brain development and diseases in controlled laboratory settings.
Note that a neural cell is different from a neural stem cell.
A neural cell is a mature cell type found in the nervous system, such as neurons (responsible for transmitting signals) or glial cells (which support and protect neurons).
Neural stem cells, on the other hand, are a type of precursor cell that can differentiate into various types of neural cells. In simpler terms, neural cells are the final, specialized cells in the nervous system, while neural stem cells are the versatile, “uncommitted” cells that can become any type of neural cell.
Learn more about how Neural Stem Cells Could Aid in Treating Diseases.
So where can you find or get neural stem cells?
Neural stem cells can be obtained from various sources, including:
- Embryonic Stem Cells: These are derived from human embryos and have the potential to develop into any cell type in the body, including neural stem cells.
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs): iPSCs are adult cells that have been reprogrammed to behave like embryonic stem cells. They can be generated from a person’s own cells, such as skin cells, and then directed to develop into neural stem cells.
- Fetal Tissue: Neural stem cells can also be obtained from fetal tissue, typically from aborted fetuses or donated fetal tissue.
- Adult Neural Stem Cells: In some cases, neural stem cells may be found in certain regions of the adult brain, such as the hippocampus or the subventricular zone. These cells can be isolated and cultured for research or potential therapeutic applications.
It’s important to note that the use of neural stem cells for research or therapeutic purposes is highly regulated and typically requires approval from regulatory agencies and ethics committees.
Additionally, obtaining neural stem cells for personal use or treatment outside of approved clinical trials may not be legal or safe. Therefore, individuals interested in accessing neural stem cells should consult with qualified healthcare professionals and participate in reputable research studies or clinical trials.
Moving on…
Researchers led by Ángela Nieto at the Institute of Neurosciences have uncovered how adult brain stem cells can switch on genes to maintain their identity and become neurons without causing confusion. This mechanism also readies them to respond quickly to signals for change.
The discovery is crucial because it explains how brain stem cells can keep their stem cell traits while also gearing up to become neurons. Until now, scientists weren’t sure how these cells managed to do both without getting mixed up.
The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that the key lies in how genes are translated into proteins. Stem cell genes leave the nucleus to make proteins, while genes for neurons stay put.
“For this reason, the cells continued to maintain their status as stem cells”, explains the researcher.
Understanding this process could lead to new insights into brain function and help develop treatments for neurological disorders.
When stem cells are ready to become neurons, a similar process happens. Nieto explains: “In this case, the messages that tell stem cells to stay the same are kept in the nucleus, so they can’t make proteins.”
Even though both kinds of genes are always active, Nieto points out that “the messages for genes that aren’t needed right away are kept in the nucleus without being used.”
“This not only helps cells make decisions but also gets them ready to change into neurons when they need to.”
Stem cells are amazing at fixing tissues, but we’re not sure how much they help repair the adult human brain. Nieto says it’s super important, though. Without it, nerve cells might change too early, messing up how the brain works.
This study was a team effort with experts from the University of Valencia and the Center for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona. They focused on a part of the adult mouse brain with lots of stem cells.
The team found that this holding-in-the-nucleus trick happens because a special kind of RNA isn’t modified in a certain way. This change helps get rid of unnecessary parts of the RNA so it can do its job outside the nucleus.
They used a cool technique called in situ hybridization to see how the RNA was hanging out in the nucleus. This method used a lot in Nieto’s lab, was key to figuring out how it all works.
Ainara González-Iglesias says, “Even though there are fancy new ways to study genes, in situ hybridization was what helped us understand this trick.”
Learn more on the Natural ways to increase stem cell production from your favorite Natural Healing Spot.
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