Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Dopamine Delivery
07 April 2012

Dopamine Delivery

Parkinson’s disease is characterised by the loss of a certain kind of brain cell. These brain cells make dopamine. This neurotransmitter [a chemical released by brain cells to send signals around the central nervous system] plays an important role in the control of voluntary movement and behavioral processes like addiction. Brain cells that produce this messenger are known as dopamine neurons. Pictured is one grown from mouse embryonic stem cells in the lab. A developmental gene that helps the neurons mature is here tagged with green fluorescent protein and an enzyme required to make dopamine is stained blue. Making neurons from stem cells allows scientists to study their function in detail. Regenerative medicine for Parkinson’s will require a thorough understanding of how to make healthy replacement cells.

Written by Daniel Cossins

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.