Resting brain stem cells hardly differ from normal astrocytes, which support the nerve cells in the brain. How can almost identical cells perform such different functions? The key lies in the ...

The human brain can do many amazing things, but self-repair is not one of its repertoire of abilities. Once neurons die—from trauma, stroke, or disease—they rarely grow back. Scientists have been ...

Some parts of our bodies bounce back from injury in fairly short order. The outer protective layer of the eye—called the cornea—can heal from minor scratches within a single day. The brain is not one ...

Clues to keeping the brain’s regenerative cells youthful and energetic into old age have emerged by applying CRISPR gene editing to mice 1. Age impedes the ability of the brain’s stem cells to churn ...

Like the seeds of a forest, a few cells in embryos eventually sprout into an ecosystem of brain cells. Neurons get the most recognition for their computing power. But a host of other cells provides ...

In a landmark discovery, researchers from QIMR Berghofer in collaboration with the Francis Crick Institute, have unlocked the secrets of how brain stem cells enter and exit a resting state called ...

Previous studies have found similarities in gene expression between resting brain stem cells and normal astrocytes even though they have very different functions. New research into epigenetic changes ...

The discovery of a new type of stem cell in the brain could usher in better treatments for the deadliest brain tumor. UCSF scientists have discovered a stem cell in the young brain that's capable of ...

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. For survivors of the most common type of stroke, called an ischemic stroke, only about 5 percent fully recover. Most others suffer from ...