Neuron Regeneration to be Restored

Unable to truly repair itself when neurons or axons are damaged, the adult nervous system is quite difficult to repair from the outside looking in. Spinal cord injuries are typically left uncured because of this difficulty and research behind regeneration of neurons has not been very promising. Until now, signaling molecules were not looked at but researchers have done studies with mice that show that certain compounds inhibit regeneration within the nervous system. Although only limited regrowth has been captured, "this is one of the most dramatic results in the history of the field," according to Ben Barres, a neurobiologist at Stanford University in California.

Because adult neurons are no longer as flexible, they do not exhibit regeneration abilities but this is not the focus of recent studies. Scientists are more focused on the compounds near the sites that prevent neuron regrowth. Deleting genes within mice that are involved in cell growth, scientists are studying the affect that gene manipulation has on the mice. The signaling molecule, PTEN, had dramatic results causing 50% of the neurons to survive and 10% to regrow when normally 80% of the damaged axons die.

The neurons have not yet been further tested for whether or not they function properly with working connections after regeneration but regrowth itself is already a breakthrough. The studies formulate around the idea that axon and neuron regeneration must be restored by preventing the inhibitory molecules.

"Coaxing Injured Nerves to Regrow"

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2008/1106/1

Brittany Sanchez

VTPP 434-502