New research published today out of the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) uncovers a mechanism to promote growth in damaged nerve cells as a means to restore connections after injury. Dr. Doug Zochodne and his team have discovered a key molecule that directly regulates nerve cell growth in the damaged nervous system. His study was published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, with lead authors Drs. Kim Christie and Anand Krishnan.
"We made the surprising discovery that a protein called Retinoblastoma (Rb) is present in adult neurons," explains Zochodne. "This protein appears to normally act as a brake – preventing nerve growth. What we have shown is that by inactivating Rb, we can release the brake and coax nerves to grow much faster," says Zochodne, a professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences.
Zochodne and his team decided to look for Rb in nerve cells because of its known role in regulating cell growth elsewhere in the body.
- See more at: http://www.neuroscientistnews.com/research-news/new-way-enhance-nerve-growth-following-injury-discovered#sthash.fS6iYDZZ.dpufRead more here:
http://www.neuroscientistnews.com/research-news/new-way-enhance-nerve-growth-following-injury-discovered
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