Neural Cell News Volume 4.13 | Apr 7 2010

TOP STORY

All for One and One for All!
Cutting-edge computer modeling reveals neurons coordinating their messaging, yielding clues to how the brain works. [Press release from Salk Institute for Biological Studies discussing online prepublication in Science]

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SCIENCE NEWS

A Push Makes Neuron Longer
Japanese researchers recently reported that TRPV2 receptor can act as mechanical stretch-sensor in developing neurons to help their neurites grow much longer. [Press release from EurekaAlert! discussing online prepublication in Journal of Neuroscience]

Researchers Discover Weak Link in Alzheimer’s Drug Candidates
Some current therapies being investigated for Alzheimer’s disease may cause further neural degeneration and cell death, according to a breakthrough discovery by University of California, San Diego researchers. [Press release from University of California, San Diego discussing online prepublication in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA]

Brain Tumors: Tissue Stem Cell Turning into Tumor Stem Cell
Scientists have now shown for the first time that malignant brain tumors arise directly from brain stem cells. [Press release from the German Cancer Research Center discussing online prepublication in Genes and Development]

Tomato Genes Produce Promising Results Against Brain Tumors
Tomato genes could be used as a future treatment in gene therapy, according to new research results. [Press release from Lund University discussing online prepublication in Neuro-Oncology]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Impaired Hippocampal-Prefrontal Synchrony in a Genetic Mouse Model of Schizophrenia
Findings suggest that impaired long-range synchrony of neural activity is one consequence of the 22q11.2 deletion and may be a fundamental component of the pathophysiology underlying schizophrenia. [Nature]

Synchrony of Thalamocortical Inputs Maximizes Cortical Reliability
Researchers modeled the feedforward excitatory and inhibitory inputs to neurons in the primary visual cortex based on in vivo recordings in cats, and found that the reliability of spike transmission increased steeply between 20 and 40 synchronous thalamic inputs in a time window of 5 milliseconds, when the reliability per spike was most energetically efficient. [Science]

MicroRNA-9 Coordinates Proliferation and Migration of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Neural Progenitors
Researchers show that the expression of the brain-specific microRNA-9 is turned on in human neural progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. [Cell Stem Cell]

Region-Specific Contribution of Ephrin-B and Wnt Signaling to Receptive Field Plasticity in Developing Optic Tectum
Researchers examined the role of ephrin-B and Wnt signaling in regulating visual experience-dependent and developmental plasticity of receptive fields of tectal cells in the developing Xenopus optic tectum. [Neuron]

The Nuclear Receptor Tailless Induces Long-Term Neural Stem Cell Expansion and Brain Tumor Initiation
This study demonstrates how neural stem cells contribute to brain tumorgenesis driven by a stem cell-specific transcription factor, thus providing novel insights into the histogenesis and molecular pathogenesis of primary brain tumors. [Genes Dev]

Truncated Beta-Amyloid Peptide Channels Provide an Alternative Mechanism for Alzheimer’s Disease and Down Syndrome
Using complementary techniques of molecular dynamics simulations, atomic force microscopy, channel conductance measurements, calcium imaging, neuritic degeneration, and cell death assays, researchers show that nonamyloidogenic A(beta)_9-42 and A(beta)_17-42 peptides form ion channels with loosely attached subunits and elicit single-channel conductances. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

Cross Talk Between MicroRNA and Epigenetic Regulation in Adult Neurogenesis
This study demonstrates that cross talk between miRNA and epigenetic regulation contributes to the modulation of adult neurogenesis. [J Cell Biol]

TRPV2 Enhances Axon Outgrowth through Its Activation by Membrane Stretch in Developing Sensory and Motor Neurons
To explore the functional importance of thermosensitive TRP channels during neural development, the temporal expression was determined in embryonic mice. [J Neurosci]

Lysosome-Associated Membrane Protein 1 is a Major SSEA-1-Carrier Protein in Mouse Neural Stem Cells
Using proteomics analyses, researchers report that a lysosomal protein, LAMP-1, is a major carrier protein of stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1) in neural stem cells, despite the common belief that SSEA-1 is mainly expressed on the cell surface and constitutes a component of the extracellular matrix. [Glycobiology]

INDUSTRY NEWS

Worcester Polytechnic Institute Receives $756,000 in Federal Support for Research in the Life Sciences
With $756,000 in new awards, researchers will explore new aspects of research programs examining molecular processes related to nervous system development, bacterial infection, and plant production of a malaria drug. [Worcester Polytechnic Institute Press Release]

University of Rochester Medical Center Receives $4.5 Million in New York State Stem Cell Grants
The University of Rochester Medical Center has received a total of $4.5 million in funding from the Empire State Stem Cell Board for research in neurological disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and bone repair. [University of Rochester Medical Center Press Release]

POLICY NEWS

Key Budget Question: $12.4 Million or $6.2 Million for Stem Cell Funding?
A General Assembly budget conference committee started discussions recently to seek a resolution on how much to allocate for stem cell research grants in fiscal 2011, with the House and Senate versions on the legislation far apart. [United States General Assembly, United States]

Enhancing Peer Review: Updated Processes for the Review of All Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellowship Applications (NOT-OD-10-071) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

NIH Will Require the Electronic Submission of Appointment Forms and Termination Notices via xTrain for Research Training, Fellowship, Education, and Career Awards Beginning January 2011 (NOT-OD-10-072) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Small Business Innovation Research Award Levels Adjusted to $150,000 (Phase I) and $1,000,000 (Phase II) (NOT-OD-10-079) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Notice of Change in Expiration Date for Program Announcement on Bioengineering Research Partnerships (PAR-07-352) (NOT-EB-10-001) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

2010 Biological License Application Supplement Noteworthy Approvals [Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, United States]

Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices; Designation of Special Controls for Certain Class II Devices and Exemption from Premarket Notification [Docket No. FDA-2009-N-0493] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Medical Devices; Neurological and Physical Medicine Device Guidance Documents; Availability [Docket No. FDA-2009-D-0495] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Revision of the Requirements for Constituent Materials [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0099] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Voting and Nonvoting Consumer Representative Members on Public Advisory Committees and Panels; Notice of Public Meeting [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Determination of Regulatory Review Period for Purposes of Patent Extension; LUSEDRA [Docket Nos. FDA-2009-E-0202 and FDA-2009-E-0204] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Revision of Organization and Conforming Changes to Regulations [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0148] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Administrative Practices and Procedures; Good Guidance Practices; Technical Amendment [Docket No. FDA-1999-N-3539] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

EVENTS

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 101st Annual Meeting 2010
April 17-21, 2010
Washington, DC, United States

17th Annual Conference of the American Society for Neural Therapy & Repair (ASNTR)
April 29-May 1, 2010
Clearwater Beach, United States

2010 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting
May 15-18, 2010
Ottawa, Canada

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 8th Annual Meeting
June 16-19, 2010
San Francisco, United States

BIT’s 1st World Congress of NeuroTalk 2010
June 25-28, 2010
Singapore City, Singapore

7th Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum of European Neuroscience
July 3-7, 2010
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

40th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience 2010
November 13-17, 2010
San Diego, United States

Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

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