Browse the latest research summaries in the field of genetics for spinal cord injury patients and caregivers.
Showing 131-140 of 1,773 results
J. Exp. Med., 2014 • May 5, 2014
This study investigates the role of B-RAF kinase in promoting axon growth and regeneration in both the peripheral and central nervous systems using conditional gain-of-function mouse models. The resea...
KEY FINDING: Conditional activation of B-RAF kinase alone in mouse embryonic neurons is sufficient to drive the growth of long-range peripheral sensory axon projections in vivo without upstream neurotrophin signaling.
The Journal of Neuroscience, 2014 • April 23, 2014
The study demonstrates that peripheral nerve injury induces a global increase in axonal transport, extending to the central branch of DRGs. This increase in axonal transport supports the regeneration ...
KEY FINDING: A peripheral conditioning lesion increases the anterograde transport of cytoskeleton components, metabolic enzymes and axonal regeneration enhancers in the central branch of DRGs.
Nature, 2014 • May 8, 2014
This study reveals that astrocytes in different regions of the spinal cord are functionally distinct, influencing neural circuit formation and maintenance. Ventral astrocytes produce Sema3a, which is ...
KEY FINDING: Ventral spinal cord astrocytes express region-specific genes, including Semaphorin3a (Sema3a), crucial for sensorimotor circuit organization.
J. Cell. Mol. Med., 2014 • July 1, 2014
This study investigates the role of TGF-β1 signaling in the adult neurogenic niche, focusing on its impact on neural stem cell quiescence and neuronal differentiation. The research demonstrates that T...
KEY FINDING: TGF-b1 signalling in the adult neurogenic niche contributes to stem cell quiescence, and to neuronal differentiation, maturation and survival of newly generated cells.
Stem Cell Rev and Rep, 2014 • May 8, 2014
This study investigates the guided migration of embryonic stem cell (ESC) derived presumptive motor neurons in an applied electric field (EF). The results showed that neural precursors migrated toward...
KEY FINDING: Neural precursors migrated toward the cathode pole of applied electric fields.
J Orthop Sci, 2014 • May 13, 2014
This review focuses on regenerative medicine research using cells, scaffolds, and miRNA for clinical application in orthopedics. It highlights the importance of these components in tissue engineering ...
KEY FINDING: The use of cells combined with a cell-delivery system, miRNA, scaffold, and cytokines has led to effective regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues including cartilage, bone, ligaments, muscle, peripheral nerves, and spinal cord.
J Neurosci Methods, 2014 • July 30, 2014
The authors developed a two-compartment organotypic culture platform to study motor axon regeneration after nerve repair. The platform consists of a PDMS base and a collagen-coated membrane. The devel...
KEY FINDING: Motoneurons remain healthy for several weeks within the two-compartment system, demonstrating the viability of the culture.
Methods Mol Biol, 2014 • January 1, 2014
Recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors are one of the most promising therapeutic delivery systems for gene therapy to the central nervous system (CNS). One major limitation of AAV vectors is...
KEY FINDING: The 2A peptide sequence is only 24 amino acids long and can mediate efficient bicistronic expression of two gene products from a single promoter by undergoing ribosomal skipping (referred to as "self-cleavage") during protein translation.
Cell Calcium, 2014 • July 1, 2014
This study shows that muscle cell precursors in regenerating tissues exhibit spontaneous calcium transients after tail amputation. These calcium transients are mediated by ryanodine receptor-operated ...
KEY FINDING: Muscle cell precursors in regenerating tails exhibit spontaneous calcium transients.
Semin Cell Dev Biol, 2014 • September 1, 2014
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a key factor in the developing central nervous system (CNS), influencing proliferation, specification, and axonal targeting. Shh signaling modulates the self-renewal and specif...
KEY FINDING: Shh signaling is essential for the establishment and maintenance of adult neural stem cell niches in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ).