Scientists find a human-only gene that may help explain our brainpower
Researchers have identified that human-specific copies of the SRGAP2 gene are highly active in microglia, the brain's immune cells, and contribute to their slow maturation. This unique developmental trait may be a key factor in the evolution of human cognitive abilities and brain circuit organization.
Why it matters
This discovery offers a potential biological explanation for the unique complexity and processing power of the human brain compared to other species.
Microglia are the brain's most abundant immune cells. They help protect the brain from harmful invaders, clear away damaged neurons, and support normal brain development. Researchers at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute have now found for the first time that human microglia, much like human neurons, mature far more slowly than comparable cells in other animals.
"This slow development may help human microglia influence the human brain in ways that enable our powerful cognitive abilities," said Carlos Diaz-Salazar, PhD, the lead author of a new Neuron study on the subject, who carried out the work while in the lab of Franck Polleux, PhD.
A Human-Specific Gene With an Unusual Role
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