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Effective treatment of stroke by stem cells
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The thalamus is the central interpreter in the brain: specialized neural cells (neurons) receive information from the senses, process it and transmit it deep into the brain. Researchers from the Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG) have already identified the genetic factors Lhx2 and Lhx9, responsible for the development of these neurons, which improved understanding of the development of the thalamus. In the long term, it should help in the treatment of thalamic strokes.
The brain consists of 100 billion nerve cells and is the most complex organ in the human body. "We want to understand and learn how individual parts of the brain develop, and what causes the progenitor cells to build such specialized areas as the thalamus," says Dr. Steffen Scholpp of ITG. A group of scientists led by Scholpp investigate the development of the thalamus: "This is the central interface between the brain and the outside world: everything that is perceived through the eyes, ears or tactile sensations must pass through the thalamus before information moves to the cerebral cortex for further processing."
In the long term, scientists want to be able to treat damaged parts of the brain, replacing damaged tissues with healthy ones. Damaged brain tissue after infarction is not capable of regeneration. "Today, stroke is the most common cause of disability in adulthood," stresses Steffen Scholpp. "For this reason, we need to find a strategy for activating stem cells to replace damaged tissues."
Recently, scientists made an important step: they identified Lhx2 and Lhx9 - the factors controlling the development of neurons in the thalamus. "Without these factors, the thalamus would be just an ordinary nerve tissue, " the biologist explains.
The results of the scientists are published in the last issue of the journal PLoS Biology.
In the same study, Scholpp and his group identified another factor that acts as a "glue" in the thalamus: the cell adhesion molecule Pcdh10b provides the development of the thalamus, preventing it from mixing with surrounding areas of the brain. If this factor is absent, the neurons differentiate, but do not find their intended purpose. At present, the goal of scientists is to activate these factors in a test tube from undifferentiated cells in the thalamus tissue. In close cooperation with engineers and biologists, they have already developed two-dimensional systems of cell cultures. In January 2012, they will begin a 3D cell cultivation project.
Dr. Steffen Scholpp thinks that in the future it will be possible to treat patients who have suffered a stroke. "Of course, it will take several years, but our ultimate goal is to take the patient's stem cells out of the rest after a stroke and include a specific biological program for the development of these cells outside the body." Finally, we plan to transfer them back to the site of the damaged tissue. "This would be a real cure."
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