More good news for mice.

[jnorwood1]

iflscience.com/health-and-m...

[park_bear]

Very interesting. This is a mouse study that actually means something significant - they demonstrate recovery from Parkinson's after toxic injury. Link to study:

nature.com/articles/s41586-...

" Here we report an efficient one-step conversion of isolated mouse and human astrocytes to functional neurons by depleting the RNA-binding protein PTB (also known as PTBP1). Applying this approach to the mouse brain, we demonstrate progressive conversion of astrocytes to new neurons that innervate into and repopulate endogenous neural circuits. Astrocytes from different brain regions are converted to different neuronal subtypes. Using a chemically induced model of Parkinson’s disease in mouse, we show conversion of midbrain astrocytes to dopaminergic neurons, which provide axons to reconstruct the nigrostriatal circuit. Notably, re-innervation of striatum is accompanied by restoration of dopamine levels and rescue of motor deficits. A similar reversal of disease phenotype is also accomplished by converting astrocytes to neurons using antisense oligonucleotides to transiently suppress PTB. These findings identify a potentially powerful and clinically feasible approach to treating neurodegeneration by replacing lost neurons."

[JayPwP]

Interesting. Hope they fast track human trials

[PixelPaul]

Like your post title, lol

[sharoncrayn]

" Here we report an efficient one-step conversion of isolated mouse and human astrocytes to functional neurons by depleting the RNA-binding protein PTB (also known as PTBP1). "

And how are you going to do it with a human brain ...exactly? Are you suggesting mouse brains are similar enough to human brains?

Sounds to me like an old rabbit study done back in the 1990s re:Hep C and another RNA virus study from the same era. Interesting theoretical approach. It is now 2020.

Sharon