Alzheimer’s: Scientists find way to switch some diseased cells back to a healthy state.
Evidence suggests that microglia—the primary immune cells in the brain—may directly contribute to the development of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Due to technical challenges, scientists have not been able to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying microglia activity or function in healthy and diseased brains.
Scientists have now developed a new method based on the gene-editing tool CRISPR to identify genes that modulate the function of microglia.
By identifying the genes involved in disease-driving states of microglial activity, scientists were able to switch the genes on and off, paving the path for developing new therapies for AD.
In a recent study published inNature NeuroscienceTrusted Source, scientists revealed a novel screening platform for characterizing genes that regulate specific microglialTrusted Source functions which may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Characterizing regulatory genes that cause microglia to switch from a healthy state to a diseased state, such as in the brains of individuals with AD and other neurodegenerative conditions, could help develop therapeutics that target these genes or the proteins encoded by these genes. - Read the entire article by - Deep Sukla MedicalNews Today
