Scientists discover new 'immune hubs' in skull bone marrow
Researchers at Washington University have discovered immune-responsive structures in the skull bone marrow of mice that help defend the brain. While similar cells exist in humans, further study is needed to confirm if they function as a localized immune system.
Why it matters
This discovery challenges the traditional view of the skull as merely protective armor and could lead to new treatments for brain tumors and neurological conditions.
In mouse skull marrow, 'immune hubs' that actively defend the brain have been discovered. Similar cells exist in human skulls, but their role remains unclear.
https://p.dw.com/p/5JD8b Researchers at WashU Medicine discovered lymph node-like structures (shown cyan) in the skull bone marrow of mice Image: Jang Hyun Park/WashU Medicine Advertisement The skull has traditionally been regarded largely as armor for the brain. New research from the United States suggests it may have another role: proactively helping to defend what lies beneath it.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identified previously unknown immune "security stations" in the bone marrow of mouse skulls.
The lymph node-like structures responded to brain tumors before more distant lymph nodes in the neck did. When researchers disrupted the structures in mice with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer , the tumors grew faster and the animals died sooner.
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