A team of scientists at the University of Luxembourg failed prizhivit "artificial" neurons in the brain of mice Bashny.Net

A team from the University of Luxembourg can mark just two achievements. First - they were able to convert skin cells into neurons of mice (actually, it was possible, and the other teams of scientists). The second, more important event - the engraftment of "artificial" neurons in the mouse brain.

And a long-term engraftment, it has been more than six months from the date of implantation, and mice alive and well, the brain is functioning normally.

At first glance, the news is not very significant. However, such an achievement can have widely-reaching consequences, including the ability to replace damaged neurons in the brain of people with neuro-degenerative diseases, which will be treated the same Parkinson's disease, for example.

fact, experiments with mice conducted by scientists and Luxembourg for this purpose: finding a way to replace the individual neurons of the human brain. Yet to work with a man still very far away, said study leader, but still hope for a successful outcome of this work is already there.

In any case, the same mouse underwent surgery with artificial neurons in the hippocampus and cortex feel good now, but their behavior does not differ from the behavior of the mice in the control group. Side effects also occur.

At the same time implanted neurons do not just "live" in the mouse brain, they found a reliable connection with neighboring "native" neurons (synapses were new), and have been working as a unit.

Via alphagalileo

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/232295/