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Nervous Profiles
02 July 2016

Nervous Profiles

As the years roll by our bodies accumulate scars from injuries we incur. It was long held that our brain is particularly vulnerable to damage as it can't create new nerve cells. Research later revealed this not to be true, with new nerve cells discovered in a part of the brain called the hippocampus. Dysfunction in the ability to make new cells here is implicated in Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and depression. Debates continue over when these new cells integrate into existing nerve networks. To resolve this more information is needed on how these cells mature over time. In the mouse hippocampus, imaging proteins Thy1 (green) and doublecortin (cyan) allowed researchers to identify mature versus adult-born nerve cells, respectively. Focusing on adult-born cells, they tracked cell shape and nucleus size. Together these characteristics accurately depict the extent of cell maturity, helping to uncover how these cells contribute to brain function.

Written by Lux Fatimathas

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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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