Neural Cell News Volume 12.32 | Aug 15 2018

TOP STORY

Restoration of Vision after De Novo Genesis of Rod Photoreceptors in Mammalian Retinas

Investigators report that following gene transfer of β-catenin, cell-cycle-reactivated müller glia can be reprogrammed to generate rod photoreceptors by subsequent gene transfer of transcription factors essential for rod cell fate specification and determination. [Nature] Abstract | Press Release | Editorial

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Molecular Diversity and Specializations among the Cells of the Adult Mouse Brain

Scientists identified 565 transcriptionally distinct groups of cells using computational approaches developed to distinguish biological from technical signals. Cross-region analysis of these 565 cell populations revealed features of brain organization, including a gene-expression module for synthesizing axonal and presynaptic components, patterns in the co-deployment of voltage-gated ion channels, functional distinctions among the cells of the vasculature and specialization of glutamatergic neurons across cortical regions. [Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

Molecular Architecture of the Mouse Nervous System

Investigators used RNA sequencing of half a million single cells to create a detailed census of cell types in the mouse nervous system. They mapped cell types spatially and derived a hierarchical, data-driven taxonomy. Neurons were the most diverse and were grouped by developmental anatomical units and by the expression of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. [Cell] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

KHS101 Disrupts Energy Metabolism in Human Glioblastoma Cells and Reduces Tumor Growth in Mice

The authors showed that the synthetic small-molecule KHS101 promoted tumor cell death in diverse glioblastoma multiforme cell models, independent of their tumor subtype, and without affecting the viability of noncancerous brain cell lines. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release

Oligodendrocyte Precursor Survival and Differentiation Requires Chromatin Remodeling by Chd7 and Chd8

Investigators showed that Chd7 protected oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) from apoptosis by chromatin closing and gene repression of p53, while Chd7 induced chromatin opening and gene activation of OPC-differentiation regulators. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

Differences in Neural Stem Cell Identity and Differentiation Capacity Drive Divergent Regenerative Outcomes in Lizards and Salamanders

Examination of neural stem cell (NSC) differentiation potential in vitro showed that salamander NSCs were capable of neural differentiation into multiple lineages, whereas lizard NSCs were not, which was confirmed by in vivo spinal cord transplantations. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

Characterization and Transplantation of CD73-Positive Photoreceptors Isolated from Human iPSC-Derived Retinal Organoids

Researchers confirmed that the cell surface antigen CD73 is exclusively expressed in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived photoreceptors by generating a fluorescent cone rod homeobox reporter hiPSC line using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. They demonstrated that CD73 targeting by magnetic-activated cell sorting is an effective strategy to separate a safe population of transplantable photoreceptors. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

14-3-3 Proteins Reduce Cell-to-Cell Transfer and Propagation of Pathogenic Alpha-Synuclein

Despite higher amounts of released alpha-synuclein (αsyn), extracellular αsyn showed reduced oligomerization and seeding capability, reduced internalization, and reduced toxicity in primary mixed-gender mouse neurons. 14-3-3 inhibition reduced the amount of αsyn released, yet released αsyn was more toxic and demonstrated increased oligomerization, seeding capability, and internalization. [J Neurosci] Abstract | Press Release

High‐Throughput Combinatorial Screening Reveals Interactions between Signaling Molecules that Regulate Adult Neural Stem Cell Fate

Researchers adapted a high‐throughput microculture system, with over 500 distinct microenvironments, to conduct a systematic combinatorial screen of key signaling cues and collect high‐content phenotype data on endpoint neural stem cell populations. [Biotechnol Bioeng] Abstract

Tetrahedral DNA Nanostructures Facilitate Neural Stem Cell Migration via Activating RHOA/ROCK2 Signaling Pathway

Through an in vitro study, the authors found that stem cells could internalize tetrahedral DNA nanostructures quickly, and the cells’ parallel and vertical migration was promoted effectively. [Cell Prolif] Abstract

Taurine Enhances Mouse Cochlear Neural Stem Cells Proliferation and Differentiation to Sprial Gangli through Activating Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

Researchers found that taurine stimulated proliferation and neurite outgrowth of neural stem cells, which was completely abolished by sonic hedgehog inhibitor cyclopamine. In addition, cyclopamine antagonized taurine’s effect on glutamatergic and GABAergic neuron population via suppressing expressions of Ptc-1, Smo and Gli-1. [Organogenesis] Abstract

Neural Precursor Cells Form Integrated Brain-Like Tissue When Implanted into Rat Cerebrospinal Fluid

Scientists reported that early stage neural precursor cells recapitulated their seminal properties and developed into large brain-like tissue when implanted into the rat brain ventricle. [Commun Biol] Full Article

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Targeting Mitochondrial Metabolism in Neuroinflammation: Towards a Therapy for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Novel molecular and cellular therapies for chronic neuroinflammation should be developed to target mitochondrial metabolism in innate immune cells to prevent secondary neurological damage and the accumulation of irreversible disability in patients. [Trends Mol Med] Abstract

Role of Schwann Cells in Cutaneous Wound Healing

The authors summarize and evaluate recent advances in the understanding of Schwann cells roles in the skin microenvironment. [Wound Repair Regen] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the neural cell research field.

TG Therapeutics Announces Completion of Target Enrollment in the ULTIMATE Phase III Trials in Multiple Sclerosis

TG Therapeutics, Inc. announced that target enrollment in the ULTIMATE I and II Phase III trials has been achieved. ULTIMATE I and II are two independent Phase III clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of ublituximab, the company’s glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, as compared to teriflunomide, in patients with relapsing forms of MS. [TG Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Parkinson’s Foundation Increases Funding to $6.2 Million to Advance Parkinson’s Research

The Parkinson’s Foundation announced an increased investment of $6.2 million across 53 research grants to support the work of promising scientists in the field of Parkinson’s disease in 2018. [The Parkinson’s Foundation] Press Release

Pain Therapeutics Awarded $3.2 Million NIH Grant to Study Alzheimer’s Disease

Pain Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the company a $3.2 million clinical research grant to support a Phase II study with PTI-125, the company’s drug candidate to treat Alzheimer’s disease. [Pain Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

What are ‘mini-brains’, and how are they being used to study neurological development and disease? Watch Now

How Unpaywall Is Transforming Open Science

Unpaywall has become indispensable to many academics, and tie-ins with established scientific search engines could broaden its reach. On 26 July, Elsevier announced plans to integrate Unpaywall into its Scopus database searches, allowing it to deliver millions more free-to-read papers to users than it does currently. [Nature News] Editorial

Iranian Students Protest US Visa Slowdown

The rate at which the US government grants visas to prospective students from Iran has declined dramatically during President Donald Trump’s time in office, according to US government data. And the visas that are granted take more time to arrive, according to a group of Iranian students that is petitioning the Trump administration to speed up the process. [Nature News] Editorial

Hundreds of Researchers from Harvard, Yale and Stanford Were Published in Fake Academic Journals

In the so-called “post-truth era”, science seems like one of the last bastions of objective knowledge, but what if science itself were to succumb to fake news? Over the past year, German journalist Svea Eckert and a small team of journalists went undercover to investigate a massive underground network of fake science journals and conferences. [Vice Media LLC] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Neurobiology of Brain Disorders
August 5-10, 2018
Castelldefels, Spain

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell-Based Modelling of Psychiatric Disease (Universitat Bonn)

Postdoctoral Position – Bioinformatic Analysis of Neural Development in Nematostella (University of Bergen)

Excellence in Science PhD Scholarship Award – Neuroscience (University of Technology Sydney)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist/Fellow – Neural Development and Neurodegenerative Diseases (Columbia University)

Postdoctoral Position – Molecular Mechanisms & Neural Circuits of Memory & Behavior (Rutgers University)

Senior/Principal Fellow or Professor – Program Leader for Animal Models (UK Dementia Research Institute)

Scientist/Assistant Professor – Neuroscience (The Hospital for Sick Children)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cerebral Organoids (Weill Cornell Medicine)

Postdoctoral Associate – hiPSC-Based Brain Organoids (Rutgers University)

Multiple Faculty Positions – Neuroscience and Neuroengineering (Tsinghua University)

Faculty Members – Neuroscience (Mercer University)

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