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Category: genetics – Page 32

Over 400 different types of nerve cell have been grown — far more than ever before

Nerve cells are not just nerve cells. Depending on how finely we distinguish, there are several hundred to several thousand different types of nerve cell in the human brain according to the latest calculations. These cell types vary in their function, in the number and length of their cellular appendages, and in their interconnections. They emit different neurotransmitters into our synapses and, depending on the region of the brain – for example, the cerebral cortex or the midbrain – different cell types are active.

When scientists produced nerve cells from stem cells in Petri dishes for their experiments in the past, it was not possible to take their vast diversity into account. Until now, researchers had only developed procedures for growing a few dozen different types of nerve cell in vitro. They achieved this using genetic engineering or by adding signalling molecules to activate particular cellular signalling pathways. However, they never got close to achieving the diversity of hundreds or thousands of different nerve cell types that actually exists.

“Neurons derived from stem cells are frequently used to study diseases. But up to now, researchers have often ignored which precise types of neuron they are working with,” says Barbara Treutlein, Professor at the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel. However, this is not the best approach to such work. “If we want to develop cell culture models for diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and depression, we need to take the specific type of nerve cell involved into consideration.”

For the first time, researchers at ETH Zurich have successfully produced hundreds of different types of nerve cell from human stem cells in Petri dishes. In the future, it will thus be possible to investigate neurological disorders using cell cultures instead of animal testing.

Looking to study neurological conditions, researchers produce over 400 different types of nerve cells

Nerve cells are not just nerve cells. Depending on how finely we distinguish, there are several hundred to several thousand different types of nerve cells in the human brain, according to the latest calculations. These cell types vary in their function, in the number and length of their cellular appendages, and in their interconnections. They emit different neurotransmitters into our synapses, and depending on the region of the brain—for example, the cerebral cortex or the midbrain—different cell types are active.

When scientists produced from in Petri dishes for their experiments in the past, it was not possible to take their vast diversity into account. Until now, researchers had only developed procedures for growing a few dozen different types of nerve cell in vitro. They achieved this using or by adding signaling molecules to activate particular cellular signaling pathways. However, they never got close to achieving the diversity of hundreds or thousands of different nerve cell types that actually exist.

“Neurons derived from stem cells are frequently used to study diseases. But up to now, researchers have often ignored which precise types of neuron they are working with,” says Barbara Treutlein, Professor at the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel.

Cutting-Edge Gene Therapy Restores Hearing Within Weeks

“This is a huge step forward in the genetic treatment of deafness, one that can be life-changing for children and adults,” says Maoli Duan, consultant and docent at the Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, and one of the study’s corresponding authors.

Gene therapy involved a synthetic adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver a functional version of the OTOF gene to the inner ear via a single injection through a membrane at the base of the cochlea called the round window. The injections were to target mutations in OTOF that can cause deficiencies of the otoferlin protein, that plays key roles in transmitting auditory signals.

According to the researchers, the effects of the gene therapy were rapid, and the majority of the participants recovered some hearing after one month. At a 6-month follow-up, all participants showed considerable improvements, with the average perceptible volume of sound improving from 106 decibels to 52 decibels.

Why some genes are more error-prone: Scientists uncover hidden rule in DNA transcription

Every living cell must interpret its genetic code—a sequence of chemical letters that governs countless cellular functions. A new study by researchers from the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics at Rice University has uncovered the mechanism by which the identity of the letters following a given nucleotide in DNA affects the likelihood of mistakes during transcription, the process by which DNA is copied into RNA. The discovery offers new insight into hidden factors that influence transcription accuracy.

The work is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study was authored by Tripti Midha, Anatoly Kolomeisky and Oleg Igoshin. It shows why genetic sequences are not equally prone to errors. Instead, the identity of the two nucleotides immediately downstream of a site significantly alters the error rate during transcription. This discovery builds on prior insights by the same authors on enzymatic proofreading mechanisms, factoring in the effects of distinct kinetics for different nucleotide additions.

Child walks again after receiving experimental treatment for rare genetic condition

In what experts are calling a “dream come true,” scientists used a recent biochemical discovery to help an 8-year-old boy with a rare genetic condition regain mobility.

Researchers from NYU Langone demonstrated, in a study published in Nature on Wednesday, how a chemical precursor to a commonly available enzyme, CoQ10, can help brain cells overcome a rare genetic condition that severely hobbles cells’ energy production process. Without treatment, the boy’s condition is known to deteriorate rapidly and could be fatal.

NYU Langone researchers have helped an 8-year-old boy regain mobility using an experimental treatment.

A molecular switch packs DNA on time for cell division

If measured from beginning to end, the DNA in our cells is too long to fit into the cell’s nucleus, explaining why it must be constantly folded and packaged. When it is time for cell division, and the genetic information needs to be passed on to the next generation, DNA must be packed particularly tightly, or else serious consequences for a cell’s viability might ensue.

Real-time trial shows AI could speed cancer care

A new study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and collaborators, suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) could significantly improve how doctors determine the best treatment for cancer patients—by enhancing how tumor samples are analyzed in the lab.

The findings, published in Nature Medicine, showed that AI can accurately predict genetic mutations from routine pathology slides—potentially reducing the need for rapid genetic testing in certain cases.

The paper is titled “Enhancing Clinical Genomics in Lung Adenocarcinoma with Real-World Deployment of a Fine-Tuned Computational Pathology Foundation Model.”

Major autism study uncovers biologically distinct subtypes, paving the way for precision diagnosis and care

Researchers at Princeton University and the Simons Foundation have identified four clinically and biologically distinct subtypes of autism, marking a transformative step in understanding the condition’s genetic underpinnings and potential for personalized care.

Analyzing data from over 5,000 children in SPARK, an cohort study, the researchers used a computational model to group individuals based on their combinations of traits.

The team used a “person-centered” approach that considered a broad range of over 230 traits in each individual, from social interactions to to developmental milestones, rather than searching for to single traits.

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