脊髓干细胞 中国实验动物信息网 2020-10-23 440

　　Spinal cord injury usually leads to permanent dysfunction. A new study published in the "Science" magazine of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden shows that it can stimulate mouse spinal cord stem cells to form a large number of new oligodendrocytes, which are neuronal transmission Required for the ability to signal to help repair the injured spinal cord.

　　The spinal cord transmits signals from the brain to other parts of the body. In the case of spinal cord injury, although most of the nerve fibers are intact, some key nerve fibers are truncated, which usually leads to a certain degree of paralysis. This impaired function is usually caused by the loss of oligodendrocytes.

　　In many organs, damaged tissue can be repaired by stem cells. Stem cells also exist in the adult spinal cord, but these stem cells mainly produce scar-forming cells after injury. Scar tissue can reduce the degree of damage, but it does not significantly help the replacement of lost cells.

　　In the current study, the researchers carefully analyzed spinal cord stem cells at the genetic level of mice and found that the DNA of stem cells can receive signals that stimulate the formation of new oligodendrocytes.

　　The first author of the study, Enric Llorens-Bobadilla, a researcher in the Department of Molecular Biology at the Karolinska Institute, said: “We found that stem cells are not locked to form scar tissue. Our research helps to reveal the differentiation mechanism of this group of stem cells, thereby helping For cell repair."

　　By controlling which genes in the stem cells are activated, researchers can stimulate the production of a large number of new oligodendrocytes, which leads to improved nerve fiber function in the damaged spinal cord.

　　Kaolinska Institute Cell and Molecular Biology Department Chief Researcher Jonas Frisén said: "This shows that stem cells in the nervous system can be artificially regulated, thereby making a greater contribution to functional recovery."