By New York Stem Cell Foundation
The Context: Glia – the brain’s helper cells – are often overlooked in disease research, but are known to play both supportive roles for neurons, and to turn rogue and start killing them. We are still at the early stages of understanding how these cells develop, as well as how they could be driving (or protecting against) disease.
The Study: New research in Glia and Nature Neuroscience from the lab of Shane Liddelow, PhD, at NYU and including NYSCF scientists led by Valentina Fossati, PhD, helps unravel mysteries of these critical cells and why they may turn friend or foe when exposed to disease-related inflammation, as well as how they develop.
The Importance: This work advances our understanding of how glia take on key roles in the healthy brain and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as strategies for prompting them to defend (rather than attack) neurons.
