Coaxing Injured Nerves to Regrow

piggy submitted, created time 3 weeks 4 days (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

The adult central nervous system has only a limited ability to repair itself. That's why spinal cord injuries leave people permanently paralyzed. Now a study with mice finds that removing a particular signaling molecule in adult neurons restores their ability to regenerate damaged axons, the long extensions that convey signals from one neuron to another. The find potentially paves the way for repairing spinal cords and other nervous system injuries

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: regenerative medicine axons neurons paraplegia paralysis injuries nerves nervous system

Beyond Recognizing Odors, Single Neuron Controls Reactions in Worms

piggy submitted, created time 4 weeks 22 hours (www.sciencedaily.com)

ScienceDaily (Nov. 2, 2008) — Babies will smile when they catch the scent of vanilla, but a whiff of rotting meat will send them into fits. From people to mice and flies to worms, animals of all kinds are born with likes and dislikes thanks to the evolutionary wisdom collected in their genes. But new research shows that some preferences are still surprisingly flexible at even the most basic level — that of the sensory neuron itself — and that our nervous system may be even more adaptable than we thought

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: cognition senses smell scent worms neurons nervous system

Dendritic cell preactivation impairs MHC class II presentation of vaccines and endogenous viral antigens

davis submitted, created time 1 year 1 month (www.pnas.org)

When dendritic cells (DCs) encounter signals associated with infection or inflammation, they become activated and undergo maturation. Mature DCs are very efficient at presenting antigens captured in association with their activating signal but fail to present subsequently encountered antigens, at least in vitro.

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: dendrites cell signaling nervous system viral antigens vaccines preactivation dendritic cells

New brain cells listen before they talk

jimmy submitted, created time 1 year 1 month (www.eurekalert.org)

Newly-created neurons in adults rely on signals from distant brain regions to regulate their maturation and survival -- which has implications for using adult stem cells to replace those lost by trauma or neurodegeneration.

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: cell signaling brain nervous system dementia neurodegeneration stem cell signal neurons brain cell

A brief history of TH17, the first major revision in the TH1/TH2 hypothesis of T cell–mediated tissue damage

DNA2004 submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.nature.com)

For over 35 years, immunologists have divided T-helper (TH) cells into functional subsets. T-helper type 1 (TH1) cells—long thought to mediate tissue damage—might be involved in the initiation of damage, but they do not sustain or play a decisive role in many commonly studied models of autoimmunity, allergy and microbial immunity

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: nervous system tissue-specific repair brain damage egg cells TH T cell autoimmunity IL-17 allergic disorder

Organization of ß-adrenoceptor signaling

annatto submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.jcb.org)

“The sympathetic nervous system regulates cardiac function through the activation of adrenergic receptors (ARs). ß1 and ß2ARs are the primary sympathetic receptors in the heart and play different roles in regulating cardiac contractile function and remodeling in response to injury. In this study, we examine the targeting and trafficking of ß1 and ß2ARs at cardiac sympathetic synapses in vitro. Sympathetic neurons form functional synapses with neonatal cardiac myocytes in culture

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Toll-like receptors nervous system protein structure and function G protein-coupled receptors Immune system

Genetics of Egg-Laying in Worms

BIOBOSS submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www-biology.ucsd.edu)

[Full Text]Genetic studies of behavior in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have provided an effective approach to investigate the molecular and cellular basis of nervous system function and development. Among the best studied behaviors is egg-laying, the process by which hermaphrodites deposit developing embryos into the environment. Egg-laying involves a simple motor program involving a small network of motorneurons and specialized smooth muscle cells, which is regulated by a variety of sensory stimuli

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Nervous system egg-laying hermaphrodite motorneuron neurogenesis cell migration synaptic patterning neuromodulation

A direct connection exists between the brain and the immune system at least in mice

diggman submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.medicalnewstoday.com)

Numerous immune cells imbedded in the tissue around the intestine are joined to nerve strands and cells. The study of how the nervous system regulates immune defenses is in its early stages. To know the cell connections may, in the near future, lead to a better understanding of the paths of some infections, e.g. for prions that induce mad cow disease, which could enter the nervous system through the intestines.

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: nervous system Immune system