PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

New stem cell found in the brain

Finding could be key to developing methods to heal and repair brain injury and disease

2012-04-21
(Press-News.org) Grand Rapids, Mich. (April 19, 2012 ) – Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered a new stem cell in the adult brain. These cells can proliferate and form several different cell types - most importantly, they can form new brain cells. Scientists hope to take advantage of the finding to develop methods to heal and repair disease and injury in the brain.

Analyzing brain tissue from biopsies, the researchers for the first time found stem cells located around small blood vessels in the brain. The cell's specific function is still unclear, but its plastic properties suggest great potential.

"A similar cell type has been identified in several other organs where it can promote regeneration of muscle, bone, cartilage and adipose tissue," said Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., Jay Van Andel Endowed Chair in Parkinson's Research at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), Head of the Neuronal Survival Unit at Lund University and senior author of the study.

In other organs, researchers have shown clear evidence that these types of cells contribute to repair and wound healing. Scientists suggest that the curative properties may also apply to the brain. The next step is to try to control and enhance stem cell self-healing properties with the aim of carrying out targeted therapies to a specific area of the brain.

"Our findings show that the cell capacity is much larger than we originally thought, and that these cells are very versatile," said Gesine Paul-Visse, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Lund University and the study's primary author. "Most interesting is their ability to form neuronal cells, but they can also be developed for other cell types. The results contribute to better understanding of how brain cell plasticity works and opens up new opportunities to exploit these very features."

The study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, is of interest to a broad spectrum of brain research. Future possible therapeutic targets range from neurodegenerative diseases to stroke.

"We hope that our findings may lead to a new and better understanding of the brain's own repair mechanisms," said Dr. Paul-Visse. "Ultimately the goal is to strengthen these mechanisms and develop new treatments that can repair the diseased brain."

INFORMATION:

Link to the study here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0035577

About the Neuronal Survival Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University

The research at Neuronal Survival Unit, Lund University, Sweden is focused on pathogenetic mechanisms and pharmacological treatment in cell and animal models of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. We also study cell replacement therapy with stem cells in attempts to repair brains in animal models of Parkinson's diseases. The group's mission is to understand neurodegenerative diseases and develop new therapies that are of benefit to patients and their caregivers. http://www.med.lu.se/expmed/neuronal_survival_unit

About Van Andel Research Institute

Established by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996, Van Andel Institute is an independent research organization dedicated to preserving, enhancing and expanding the frontiers of medical science, and to achieving excellence in education by probing fundamental issues of education and the learning process. This is accomplished through the work of over 200 researchers in more than 20 on-site laboratories and in collaborative partnerships that span the globe. www.vai.org

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Moffitt Cancer Center researchers: Many breast cancer survivors worry about cancer returning

2012-04-21
"Cancer worry" is the fear that cancer will return, said researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center who studied cancer worry among breast cancer survivors and published their findings in Psycho-Oncology. They found that even three years after successful treatment, two-thirds of the 202 breast cancer survivors who participated in their study said they had "a moderate level of worry." "Little is known about the factors associated with cancer worry," said paper lead author Paul B. Jacobsen, Ph.D., associate center director for Moffitt's Center for Population Sciences. "In order ...

Alzheimer's plaques disrupt brain networks

2012-04-21
Scientist studying the way Alzheimer's takes root in the brain have identified important new similarities between a mouse model and human Alzheimer's. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that brain plaques in mice are associated with disruption of the ability of brain regions to network with each other. This decline parallels earlier results from human studies, suggesting that what scientists learn about Alzheimer's effects on brain networks in the mice will likely be transferable to human disease research. The study, published ...

Moffitt researchers find cancer therapies affect cognitive functioning among breast cancer survivors

2012-04-21
Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues at the University of South Florida and University of Kentucky have found that breast cancer survivors who have had chemotherapy, radiation or both do not perform as well on some cognitive tests as women who have not had cancer. They published their study in the April 1 issue of Cancer. "Survivors of breast cancer are living longer, so there is a need to better understand the long-term effects of cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation," said study lead author Paul B. Jacobsen, Ph.D., associate center director ...

Congressional Republicans Call for Federal Sentencing Reform

2012-04-21
According to a recent NPR report, some Congressional Republicans believe that the current federal sentencing protocol is not working. They contend that a number of disparities have arisen, and that uniformity must be restored across federal districts. Congressman James Sensenbrenner, (R-Wisconsin) explained to NPR that federal crimes should be punished equally regardless of where the crime was committed. As an example, he highlighted that federal judges in New York City commonly imposed sentences below the guidelines, while judges in Upstate New York were still following ...

From 503-million-year-old fungi to recent earthquakes: New Geology posted ahead of print

2012-04-21
Boulder, Colo., USA – Geology posted ahead of print on 19 April reports on evidence of the earliest chemical footprints of mycorrhizal fungi in a 503-million-year-old soil; a complex assemblage of trace fossils, including simple trails and branching burrow systems, in Sirius Passet, Greenland; evolution of a submarine canyon along the Ebro Margin, NW Mediterranean; and the growth of sub-tropical forests in Europe 13-17 million years ago, a crucial period for ape evolution that corresponds to their appearance there. Highlights are provided below. Geology articles published ...

Save big on heating, cooling costs with efficiency controls

Save big on heating, cooling costs with efficiency controls
2012-04-21
RICHLAND, Wash. – U.S. commercial building owners could save an average of 38 percent on their heating and cooling bills if they installed a handful of energy efficiency controls that make their heating, ventilation and air conditioning, also known as HVAC, systems more energy efficient, according to a recent report from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The estimated savings were based on computer modeling and simulation of building energy usage. The controls that could provide these savings are not widely available commercially, but the ...

Liver tells all and reveals truth about fat

2012-04-21
Dr Barbara Fam from the University's Molecular Obesity Laboratory group at Austin Health with Associate Professor Sof Andrikopoulos have discovered that the liver can directly talk to the brain to control the amount of food we eat. The results have demonstrated that the liver, which has never been classed as an important organ in controlling body weight before, is in fact a major player and should be considered a target for treatment of weight gain. Test on mice showed that over-expression of a specific enzyme in the liver resulted in 50% less fat and the subjects ...

Virginia Enacts Ignition-Interlock Penalty for First-Time Drunk Drivers

2012-04-21
On March 7, 2012, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell signed a new law providing that as of July 1, people convicted in the commonwealth of driving under the influence for the first time will be required to install ignition-interlock devices on their cars as a condition of regaining driving privileges. The device will be required during the six-month restricted license period that follows a first DUI conviction. Under existing law, ignition interlocks are only required for repeat DUI offenders and for those who are caught driving while highly intoxicated -- with blood alcohol ...

Big doses of vitamin C may lower blood pressure

2012-04-21
Taking large doses of vitamin C may moderately reduce blood pressure, according to an analysis of years of research by Johns Hopkins scientists. But the researchers stopped short of suggesting people load up on supplements. "Our research suggests a modest blood pressure lowering effect with vitamin C supplementation, but before we can recommend supplements as a treatment for high blood pressure, we really need more research to understand the implications of taking them," says Edgar "Pete" R. Miller III, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor in the division of general internal ...

IBN discovers human neural stem cells with tumor targeting ability

2012-04-21
Singapore, April 20, 2012 – Could engineered human stem cells hold the key to cancer survival? Scientists at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), the world's first bioengineering and nanotechnology research institute, have discovered that neural stem cells possess the innate ability to target tumor cells outside the central nervous system. This finding, which was demonstrated successfully on breast cancer cells, was recently published in leading peer reviewed journal, Stem Cells. Despite decades of cancer research, cancer remains a leading cause ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Multi-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model

Tinker Tots: A citizen science project to explore ethical dilemmas in embryo selection

Sensing sickness

Cost to build multifamily housing in California more than twice as high as in Texas

Program takes aim at drinking, unsafe sex, and sexual assault on college campuses

Inability to pay for healthcare reaches record high in U.S.

Science ‘storytelling’ urgently needed amid climate and biodiversity crisis

KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision​

Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response

Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid

Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia

Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients

Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years

Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations

New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients

New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans

Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production

New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination

Study examines lactation in critically ill patients

UVA Engineering Dean Jennifer West earns AIMBE’s 2025 Pierre Galletti Award

Doubling down on metasurfaces

New Cedars-Sinai study shows how specialized diet can improve gut disorders

Making moves and hitting the breaks: Owl journeys surprise researchers in western Montana

PKU Scientists simulate the origin and evolution of the North Atlantic Oscillation

ICRAFT breakthrough: Unlocking A20’s dual role in cancer immunotherapy

How VR technology is changing the game for Alzheimer’s disease

A borrowed bacterial gene allowed some marine diatoms to live on a seaweed diet

Balance between two competing nerve proteins deters symptoms of autism in mice

Use of antifungals in agriculture may increase resistance in an infectious yeast

Awareness grows of cancer risk from alcohol consumption, survey finds

[Press-News.org] New stem cell found in the brain
Finding could be key to developing methods to heal and repair brain injury and disease