Browse the latest research summaries in the field of genetics for spinal cord injury patients and caregivers.
Showing 121-130 of 1,773 results
Mol Cell Neurosci, 2014 • March 1, 2014
This study demonstrates that JUN can promote axon growth and regeneration in cortical neurons, and suggests that it does so in a way that is mechanistically distinct from what is observed in periphera...
KEY FINDING: The Jun oncogene/signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (JUN/STAT6) combination increased neurite growth in dissociated cortical neurons and in injured cortical slices.
BMC Developmental Biology, 2014 • February 16, 2014
The study introduces electroablation, a novel method for inducing localized tissue injury using a microelectrode to deliver electrical pulses. This technique is demonstrated in zebrafish larvae and ad...
KEY FINDING: Electroablation can be used for precise neurectomy in peripheral nerves and the spinal cord of zebrafish larvae, allowing the study of nerve degeneration and regeneration.
Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 2014 • February 19, 2014
This study investigates the effects of extracellular vesicles derived from muscle cells on motor neuron survival and neurite outgrowth, using the C2C12 muscle cell line and the NSC-34 motor neuron cel...
KEY FINDING: Extracellular vesicles from muscle cells significantly increase the average neurite length per neuron in motor neuron cultures.
Nat Commun., 2014 • January 1, 2014
This study demonstrates that resident astrocytes in the injured adult spinal cord can be manipulated to produce neurons by defined factors, raising the possibility of using these cells as a source for...
KEY FINDING: Ectopic SOX2 expression is sufficient to convert endogenous spinal astrocytes to proliferative DCX-positive neuroblasts in the injured adult spinal cord.
The Journal of Neuroscience, 2014 • March 5, 2014
This study investigates the distribution of VGLUT1 synapses on motoneurons before and after peripheral nerve injury and regeneration in rats. The researchers mapped the location of these synapses alon...
KEY FINDING: In healthy motoneurons, VGLUT1 synapses are mainly located on proximal dendrites, grouped in tight clusters.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2014 • February 25, 2014
This review focuses on the role pannexins play in inflammation-induced regeneration in various tissues, highlighting their involvement in cell death, differentiation, and tissue repair. Pannexins, par...
KEY FINDING: Pannexin-1 (Panx1) channels function as an integral component of the P2X/P2Y purinergic signaling pathway and is arguably the major contributor to pathophysiological ATP release.
PLoS ONE, 2014 • March 25, 2014
This study investigates the regulation of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion by astrocytes after spinal cord injury (SCI). It identifies the PI3K-mTOR-Calcium signaling pathway as a key regulator of IL-6 ...
KEY FINDING: IL-6 is expressed by astrocytes, neurons, and microglia/macrophages in the spinal cord after contusion injury.
Brain and Behavior, 2014 • March 1, 2014
This editorial highlights a study investigating the effects of subcutaneous FGF2 administration on spinal cord injury recovery in mice, focusing on its potential to reduce inflammation and promote reg...
KEY FINDING: FGF2 has been shown to have multiple neural-promoting effects on the developing and adult nervous system, including inducing and regulating the proliferation of neural stem cells and precursors.
The Journal of Neuroscience, 2014 • April 2, 2014
This study demonstrates that gene delivery of mammalian-compatible ChABC leads to large-scale digestion of CSPGs in the spinal cord, resulting in neuroprotection and long-term improved functional outc...
KEY FINDING: LV-ChABC treatment significantly reduced cavitation and enhanced the preservation of spinal neurons and axons at 12 weeks post-injury, compared with control-treated animals.
Exp Neurol, 2014 • June 1, 2014
This study investigates the role of dbx1a-expressing radial glial progenitors in spinal cord regeneration in zebrafish larvae. The researchers demonstrate that these progenitors persist beyond embryog...
KEY FINDING: The dbx1a:GFP reporter labels radial glial progenitors in the zebrafish spinal cord beyond embryogenesis, indicating their prolonged presence and potential role in regeneration.