I like the repair possibility.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/244395.php
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."
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