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Two Left Features
29 March 2015

Two Left Features

From the outside your brain looks symmetrical, right down to the creases. On the inside, though, it’s a different story. The cells of your brain have different structures and functions on the left and the right: for example, the left mostly deals with language. Researchers working on zebrafish are looking at how the developing brain defines which side is which. Two oval-shaped structures in the fishes forebrain – the left and right habenulae (pictured)– usually contain different types of neurons [nerve cell]. In experimental fish with a gene called tcf7l2 switched off, both sides developed ‘left’ type neurons (shown in green, with the brain’s supporting structure in purple). Examining how asymmetry develops can help us understand what influences the identities of cells, and teach us about schizophrenia and depression – conditions linked with disruption of the brain’s normal asymmetry. Hopefully soon we’ll know our lefts from our rights.

Written by Esther Redhouse White

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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.

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