Neuronal migration is risky, DNA-breaking business
A study published in Nature reveals that neurons experience DNA damage as they migrate during fetal development. The research explains how enzymes like topoisomerase 2-beta and ligase 4 repair these breaks to ensure proper brain function.
Why it matters
Understanding the mechanisms of neuronal development and DNA repair is critical for advancing research into neurodevelopmental disorders.
Neuronal DNA breaks as the cells migrate during development, though enzymes later fix that damage to preserve function, according to a study published in Nature last month .
“DNA damage is something that you think about when you might have an X-ray or when you go flying in a plane,” says David Rowitch , deputy director of basic and translational research at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s and professor of pediatrics at the University of Cambridge, who was not involved in the study. “What people maybe don’t understand as well is [that] during development, there’s a lot of DNA damage that normally occurs.”
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