Brain Cells Help Neighboring Nerves Regenerate

Researchers have uncovered a completely unexpected way that the brain repairs nerve damage, wherein cells known as astrocytes deliver a protective protein to nearby neurons.Astrocytes are a type of support cell in the brain that serve many functions; one of their roles is to chew up damaged nerves during brain injury and then form scar tissue in the damaged area.Roger Chung and colleagues have now found that astrocytes have another trick up their sleeve.

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Filed under: Neurology / Neuroscience on June 1st, 2008