Hope for Restoring Injured Nerves: Biologists ID Gene, Pathway for Nerve Regeneration

[Max]

Hope for Restoring Injured Nerves: Biologists ID Gene, Pathway for Nerve Regeneration in Worms

http://www.physorg.com/print151589222.html

[Max]

Stimulating 'worm gene' could help repair spinal injuries

Stimulating 'worm gene' could help repair spinal injuries


By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:28 AM on 23rd January 2009

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Christopher Reeve suffered a spinal cord injury after a horse riding accident. Scientists believe a worm gene could be used to stimulate nerve growth

A gene that regenerates nerves in worms could be used in the same way to repair damaged cells in humans, researchers said today.
They hope their work could one day help people with spinal cord injuries.
The gene called dlk-1, is part of a network of four genes that exist in worms and humans and are essential for nerve repair.

'We found a pathway that not only regenerates nerves in the worm, but also exists in humans, and we think it serves the same purpose,' study author Dr

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...-injuries.html

[Max]

Gene Could Repair Injured Nerves

Gene Could Repair Injured Nerves

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Scientists identified a gene in worms that could someday lead to new therapies to repair injured or damaged nerve cells.
Researchers at the University of Utah said the gene is essential for damaged nerve cells to regenerate. By over-activating the gene, they were able to stimulate nerve regeneration much quicker than expected, even in older worms. Nerve cells have the ability to regenerate in the embryo, but lose the ability as an organism ages, researchers said. Most adult nerve cells regenerate poorly or not at all, so finding a therapy that could change that could have significant implications.
"We discovered a molecular target for a future drug that could vastly improve the ability of a neuron to regenerate after injury [either from trauma or disease]," biology professor Michael Bastiani, the leader of the research team and a member of the Brain Institute at the University of Utah was quoted as saying.

http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_ch...?storyid=20619

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Spinal Cord Injury Nerve Regeneration and Worms?

Spinal Cord Injury Nerve Regeneration and Worms?

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/265920

[adi chicago]

/forum/showthread.php?t=114168

[Max]

Worm gene could help heal spinal injuries

http://www.counton2.com/cbd/lifestyl...njuries/20383/

[Isildur]

Is decades away, but is interesting.