Scientists coax brain cells in mice to regenerate
By Julie Steenhuysen Julie Steenhuysen - 1 hr 23 mins ago
Reuters - A lab mouse is seen in a file photo. (File/Reuters)
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Scientists have found a way to get damaged nerve cells in the brains of mice to repair themselves, a finding that may lead to new treatments for spinal cord and brain injuries.
By turning off proteins that keep nerve cell growth in check, the researchers were able to stimulate regrowth in mice with damaged optic nerves, they reported on Thursday.
"This is the first time it has been possible to see such significant regeneration by manipulating single molecules," Zhigang He of Children's Hospital Boston, whose study appears in the journal Science, said in a statement.
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