By National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine – SciTechDaily –
A newly identified protein helps aging brains regenerate neural stem cells.
Scientists at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), have identified a molecular switch that helps aging brains maintain their ability to generate new nerve cells. The discovery centers on a protein that appears to revive the regenerative potential of neural stem cells, a capacity that typically fades with age and contributes to declining brain function. The findings were published in Science Advances.
The study focuses on a transcription factor known as cyclin D-binding myb-like transcription factor 1 (DMTF1). Transcription factors act as gene regulators, directing when specific genes are activated and ensuring that cells behave as they should. The researchers found that DMTF1 plays a pivotal role in sustaining neural stem cell activity as the brain ages, positioning it as a key player in the biology of brain aging.
