Sunday, June 15, 2008

Researchers create molecule that nudges nerve stem cells to mature

Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center
Date: June 15, 2008

Summary:

Inspired by a chance discovery during another experiment, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have created a small molecule that stimulates nerve stem cells to begin maturing into nerve cells in culture. This finding might someday allow a person's own nerve stem cells to be grown outside the body, stimulated into maturity, and then re-implanted as working nerve cells to treat various diseases, the researchers said.