Activity, Motor Control & Coordination
Pain - Thermal Allodynia / Hyperalgesia
Pain - Spontaneous Pain - Postural Deficit
Pain - Mechanical Allodynia / Hyperalgesia
Anxiety & Depression Disorder
Learning/Memory - Attention - Addiction
Physiology & Respiratory Research
Metabolism - Food & Drink Intake
Pain
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Neurodegeneration
Sensory system
Motor control
Mood Disorders
Other disorders
Muscular system
Joints
Metabolism
Cross-disciplinary subjects
SFN2024: Meet our team in Chicago on booth #876 Authors
Fan Yang, Yunhui Liu, Jie Tu, Jun Wan, Jie Zhang, Bifeng Wu, Shanping Chen, Jiawei Zhou, Yangling Mu & Liping Wang
Lab
Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
Journal
Nature Communications
Abstract
Astrocytes provide neuroprotective effects against degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and play a fundamental role in DA differentiation of neural stem cells. Here we show that light illumination of astrocytes expressing engineered channelrhodopsin variant (ChETA) can remarkably enhance the release of ?basic fibroblast growth factor (?bFGF) and significantly promote the DA differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in vitro. Light activation of transplanted astrocytes in the substantia nigra (SN) also upregulates ?bFGF levels in vivo and promotes the regenerative effects of co-transplanted stem cells. Importantly, upregulation of ?bFGF levels, by specific light activation of endogenous astrocytes in the SN, enhances the DA differentiation of transplanted stem cells and promotes brain repair in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Our study indicates that astrocyte-derived ?bFGF is required for regulation of DA differentiation of the stem cells and may provide a strategy targeting astrocytes for treatment of PD.
BIOSEB Instruments Used:
Grip strength test (BIO-GS3)
