May 2014

May 2014:   Becoming Neurons

Submitted by Louise Collins, Suzanne Crotty and Yvonne Nolan

The birth of new neurons from neural stem cells occurs in the embryo and continues throughout adulthood in discreet regions of the mammalian brain. Neural stem cells group together in ball-like clusters called neurospheres and can be induced to give rise to neurons. Neurospheres are of great interest therapeutically as they could theoretically be used to generate and replace the neurons that are lost in traumatic brain injury and in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

Image: This neurosphere was prepared from neural stem cells extracted from an embryonic rat midbrain. After allowing the cells to proliferate and expand for 7 days, they were then imaged with confocal microscopy. Cells differentiated to neurons are labeled red with an antibody to βIII-tubulin. All nuclei are stained blue with bisbenzamide.

“Becoming Neurons” was recently on display in the Jennings Gallery, as part of the “It’s a Beautiful World” Exhibition.