A stress hormone may help the brain repair itself
Scientists have discovered that oligodendrocyte progenitor cells multiply around brain injuries and help repair damaged myelin. This process is supported by a stress hormone, offering new insights into brain recovery mechanisms.
Why it matters
This discovery could inform new treatment strategies for neurodegenerative conditions like multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injuries.
When laboratory mice experience brain damage, e.g., from an injection, Jan Deussing repeatedly notices the same response. A particular group of cells appears and becomes active around the damaged area. Although Deussing, a research group leader and experienced neurobiologist, had observed the phenomenon many times, he did not know exactly what type of cells were involved.
The mystery became an ideal research question for a master's student. Clemens Ries, who had recently joined the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry for an internship as he approached the end of his biology degree, took on the challenge.
Using a mouse model, Ries systematically tested markers for all known cell types. Only one produced a response: the marker for oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs).
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