USC College's Samantha Butler and collaborators show that the rate and direction of axon growth in the spinal cord can be controlled, a discovery that one day may help improve treatment for spinal injuries or neurodegenerative diseases.
Scientists are closer to solving one of the many mysteries of multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, thanks to a recent study conducted at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
Unlike nerves of the spinal cord, the peripheral nerves that connect our limbs and organs to the central nervous system have an astonishing ability to regenerate themselves after injury.
Researchers at Stanford University were able to use light to induce normal patterns of muscle contraction, in a study involving bioengineered mice whose nerve-cell surfaces are coated with special light-sensitive proteins.
WAUSAU, Wis., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year, more than 300,000 student-athletes sustain sports-related head injuries.
Antibodies â€” warrior proteins the immune system makes to defend the body against invading pathogens such as viruses and bacteria â€” have a gentler side nobody knew about until now: They function not only as soldiers but also as nurses.
Discovery underscores difficulties in developing regenerative spinal cord injury therapies.
Cultured cells in microfluidic chambers enable systematic experiments at the synapse.
Scientists at the Babraham Institute have discovered a novel survival factor whose rapid transport along nerve cells is crucial for keeping them alive.
In the February 1st issue of G&D, Dr. Brian Popko (The University of Chicago) and colleagues describe how mutation of a gene called ZFP191 leads to disordered CNS myelination in mice -- reminiscent of what is seen in human multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.