How multinucleated cells help the brain reorganize after localized astrocyte loss
The human brain contains various types of cells that collectively support its functions. In addition to neurons, nerve cells that communicate via electrical and chemical signals, it also relies on star-shaped cells known as astrocytes.
The human brain comprises various cell types, including neurons and astrocytes, which play crucial roles in maintaining brain function. Astrocytes, star-shaped cells, are responsible for supplying nutrients, regulating neuron communication, and preserving the blood–brain barrier. Astrocyte loss has been associated with various neurological disorders, but the brain's response to this loss remains unclear.
Researchers at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich conducted a study using advanced imaging and gene analysis tools to investigate how the mouse brain reacts to localized astrocyte loss. Their findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, reveal that when a specific group of astrocytes is lost, surrounding cells multiply, and new astrocytes eventually repopulate the damaged area.
Utilizing a mouse model that simulates the loss of astrocytes in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), the team targeted small groups of astrocytes in the mouse somatosensory cortex, a region involved in processing tactile information and sensory stimuli. Through longitudinal in vivo two-photon microscopy, they observed that perilesional astrocytes underwent structural remodeling, characterized by cell proliferation, prolonged multinucleated states, and polarized process extension into the depleted area.
The multinucleated cells gradually moved their nuclei into unoccupied territories, contributing to the repopulation of the depleted region. Additionally, spatial transcriptomics revealed significant changes in gene expression following local astrocyte loss, which normalized once the damaged area was repopulated. The study highlights the brain's capacity for gradual regeneration of local astrocyte networks after some astrocytes are lost and sheds light on the specific neurobiological processes underlying this regeneration.
Further research is required to determine if similar repair processes occur in the human brain, potentially leading to new treatments for NMOSD and other neurological disorders involving astrocyte loss.
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