The spinal cord is part of the central nervous system and serves as an important mediator of information between the brain and the rest of the body.
There are many different types of cells in the spinal cord, but there is still a lack of knowledge about how these types of cells are formed from stem cells when a human embryo is developing.
Many neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injuries are not curable because the cells in the human spinal cord do not regenerate to a large extent. An increased understanding of how the spinal cord is formed and how different genes control this development could lead to new treatments for spinal cord injuries and diseases such as ALS or cancer of the nervous system, says Xiaofei Li, researcher at the Karolinska Institute.
Spinal cord cell map
In one study, researchers created a comprehensive map of all cell types in the human spinal cord. It shows the location of cells and the genes they express during embryogenesis, the first stage of fetal development.
The study identified key genes that influence how stem cells migrate when forming the spinal cord and which cells they specialize into.
The researchers also compared spinal cord development in mice, revealing important differences between mice and humans.
“These findings are of great importance because a lot of the knowledge we already have is based on rat studies,” says Xiaofei Li.
This is how the maps were drawn
Mapping was performed using so-called single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptome sequencing. Using these methods, the researchers were able to identify thousands of genes in each individual cell and analyze how genes are expressed at different locations in the same tissue section.
Information collected in one Online tools Where researchers or other interested parties can go in and search for genes that influence how our spinal cord develops.
The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers at KTH, Stockholm University, Uppsala University and the Science for Life Laboratory.
Increase knowledge of childhood cancer
The researchers also studied an unusual tumor called ependymoma. It manifests itself in the form of malignant brain tumors in children or benign spinal cord tumors in adults.
They were then able to identify genes involved in tumor development, and show how the findings can be used to increase knowledge about diseases of the nervous system.
– We will now continue to study how stem cells form different types of cells and change their properties during embryonic development, during late maturation and aging, as well as in various disease states, says researcher Erik Sundström from the Karolinska Institutet.
Stady:
Spatiotemporal gene expression profiling of human spinal cord development and implications for the origin of ependymoma[/language]And Natural neuroscience.
communication:
Xiaofei Li, Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Neuroscience, Health Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, [email protected]
Erik Sundstrom, Senior Researcher in the Department of Neurobiology, Health Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, [email protected]
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