POST Online Media Lite Edition



 

Scientists identify new kind of human brain cell

Staff Writer |
One of the most intriguing questions about the human brain is also one of the most difficult for neuroscientists to answer: What sets our brains apart from those of other animals?

Article continues below




"We really don't understand what makes the human brain special," said Ed Lein, Ph.D., Investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science. "Studying the differences at the level of cells and circuits is a good place to start, and now we have new tools to do just that."

In a new study published today in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Lein and his colleagues reveal one possible answer to that difficult question.

The research team, co-led by Lein and Gábor Tamás, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at the University of Szeged in Szeged, Hungary, has uncovered a new type of human brain cell that has never been seen in mice and other well-studied laboratory animals.

Tamás and University of Szeged doctoral student Eszter Boldog dubbed these new cells "rosehip neurons" - to them, the dense bundle each brain cell's axon forms around the cell's center looks just like a rose after it has shed its petals, he said.

The newly discovered cells belong to a class of neurons known as inhibitory neurons, which put the brakes on the activity of other neurons in the brain.

The study hasn't proven that this special brain cell is unique to humans. But the fact that the special neuron doesn't exist in rodents is intriguing, adding these cells to a very short list of specialized neurons that may exist only in humans or only in primate brains.

The researchers don't yet understand what these cells might be doing in the human brain, but their absence in the mouse points to how difficult it is to model human brain diseases in laboratory animals, Tamás said. One of his laboratory team's immediate next steps is to look for rosehip neurons in postmortem brain samples from people with neuropsychiatric disorders to see if these specialized cells might be altered in human disease.

In their study, the researchers used tissue samples from postmortem brains of two men in their 50s who had died and donated their bodies to research. They took sections of the top layer of the cortex, the outermost region of the brain that is responsible for human consciousness and many other functions that we think of as unique to our species. It's much larger, compared to our body size, than in other animals.

"It's the most complex part of the brain, and generally accepted to be the most complex structure in nature," Lein said.

Tamás' research lab in Hungary studies the human brain using a classical approach to neuroscience, conducting detailed examinations of cells' shapes and electrical properties. At the Allen Institute, Lein leads a team working to uncover the suite of genes that make human brain cells unique from each other and from the brain cells of mice.

Several years ago, Tamás visited the Allen Institute to present his latest research on specialized human brain cell types, and the two research groups quickly saw that they'd hit on the same cell using very different techniques.

"We realized that we were converging on the same cell type from absolutely different points of view," Tamás said. So they decided to collaborate.

The Allen Institute group, in collaboration with researchers from the J. Craig Venter Institute, found that the rosehip cells turn on a unique set of genes, a genetic signature not seen in any of the mouse brain cell types they've studied. The University of Szeged researchers found that the rosehip neurons form synapses with another type of neuron in a different part of the human cortex, known as pyramidal neurons.

This is one of the first studies of the human cortex to combine these different techniques to study cell types, said Rebecca Hodge, Ph.D., Senior Scientist at the Allen Institute for Brain Science and an author on the study.

"Alone, these techniques are all powerful, but they give you an incomplete picture of what the cell might be doing," Hodge said. "Together, they tell you complementary things about a cell that can potentially tell you how it functions in the brain."

What appears to be unique about rosehip neurons is that they only attach to one specific part of their cellular partner, indicating that they might be controlling information flow in a very specialized way.

If you think of all inhibitory neurons like brakes on a car, the rosehip neurons would let your car stop in very particular spots on your drive, Tamás said. They'd be like brakes that only work at the grocery store, for example, and not all cars (or animal brains) have them.

"This particular cell type - or car type - can stop at places other cell types cannot stop," Tamás said. "The car or cell types participating in the traffic of a rodent brain cannot stop in these places."

The researchers' next step is to look for rosehip neurons in other parts of the brain, and to explore their potential role in brain disorders. Although scientists don't yet know whether rosehip neurons are truly unique to humans, the fact that they don't appear to exist in rodents is another strike against the laboratory mouse as a perfect model of human disease - especially for neurological diseases, the researchers said.

"Our brains are not just enlarged mouse brains," said Trygve Bakken, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Scientist at the Allen Institute for Brain Science and an author on the study. "People have commented on this for many years, but this study gets at the issue from several angles."

"Many of our organs can be reasonably modeled in an animal model," Tamás said. "But what sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom is the capacity and the output of our brain. That makes us human. So it turns out humanity is very difficult to model in an animal system."


What to read next

Scientists warn against stem cell medical tourism
New source for brain's development discovered
Flu virus hijacking tactics revealed, paving way for new treatments

Kentucky names new Deputy State Veterinarian

 
The Kentucky State Board of Agriculture (SBOA) has unanimously approved Dr. Mark Roozen to serve as the new Deputy State Veterinarian at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA).
 
 

Latest

Delaware offers tuition incentive to attract certified nurse assistants
AG Ferguson on federal complaint against Meta: Zuckerberg new Facbook is dangerous for young people
New York: $4.25 million for more than two dozen meat businesses
Hong Kong suspends import of poultry meat and products from areas in Belgium and Germany

NEWS

Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor Office welcomed largest sentence imposed for corruption so far

U.S.: Rounds of moisture will continue
5.1 magnitude tremor strikes near Istanbul
At least 11 hikers killed, dozen missing after Indonesia volcano eruption
Venezuelans wants part of Guyana to get minerals
Dutch lawyers seek court order to halt export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel
 

BUSINESS

Rhode Island AG Neronha files new claims in lawsuit against residential solar panel company for deceptive sales

Jordan: EUR 100 million EIB backing to tackle water scarcity through desalination and conveyance project
Netherlands: EIB signs €100 million loan for Limburg water infrastructure
Swiss nuclear power plants running out of staff
Kazakhstan signs deals for 3GW of wind power
Iran’s auto production up 18% YOY
 

Trending Now

Swiss bank Banque Pictet admits to conspiring with U.S. taxpayers to hide assets and income in offshore accounts

Škoda begins production of fourth generation Superb at Bratislava plant

Bosnia and Herzegovina Prosecutor Office welcomed largest sentence imposed for corruption so far

Atlas Copco signs deal to acquire Kracht


POLITICS

New York Governor Hochul announces start of project to modernize Ogdensburg International Airport

President Lula in Berlin for first talks between Brazil and Germany in eight years
Greece cut coal use by over 80%
Sourth Dakota Governor Noem supports Congressman Gallagher's bill protecting U.S. farmland from China
Slovakia to extend grain embargo, expand list of banned agricultural products from Ukraine
Brazil to join OPEC+ in 2024
 

Today We Recommend

AG Ferguson on federal complaint against Meta: Zuckerberg new Facbook is dangerous for young people


Highlights 

Alaska Airlines to acquire Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion

Roche to acquire Carmot Therapeutics for $2.7 billion

Huge cantaloupes recall after U.S. Salmonella outbreak


COMPANIES

Oxford Biomedica signs agreement to acquire ABL Europe from Institut Mérieux

Atlas Copco signs deal to acquire Kracht
Škoda begins production of fourth generation Superb at Bratislava plant
Airbus begins production of Galileo G2 satellites in Germany
Evergrande debt restructuring hearing postponed again
Texas AG Paxton sues Pfizer for misrepresenting COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and conspiracy
 

CAREERS

PwC selects Mohamed Kande as next global chair

Billerud appoints Ivar Vatne as CEO
New Pacific Metals appoints two to board
Pyxis Oncology appoints Ken Kobayashi as chief medical officer
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals appoints Camille L. Bedrosian as chief medical officer
Federal Signal Corporation appoints Katrina L. Helmkamp to board
 

ECONOMY

West Virginia yearly revenue collections $286.2 million ahead of estimate

Austrian economy slips into recession
Ireland in recession as personal consumer spending increased
Brazil jobless rate falls to 7.6 pct
Missouri Governor Parson announced state’s Consensus Revenue Estimate
Canadian GDP declines in Q3
 

EARNINGS

Dell Technologies revenue $22.3 billion

American Outdoor Brands Q2 sales $57.9 million
Marvell Technology Q3 revenue $1.419 billion
BMO Financial Q4 income $1,617 million
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store profit $5.46 million
Kroger Q3 earnings to $646 million
 

OP-ED

Micromanaging is the worst enemy of efficiency and teamwork

Niger set to monetize massive gas reserves through Saharan natural gas pipeline
Putting the brakes on EV folly that choked the market
Oil discovery in Kavango Basin may mean huge benefits for Namibians
Cape Town and Dubai battle over Africa's energy future
Is America going to lose its superpower status?
 

AGRIFISH

Philippines joins Blue Carbon Action Partnership to strengthen coastal ecosystems

Thailand aims to export more bananas
Philippines to import onions to avert price surges
New avian vaccine approved in Russia
Soaring olive oil prices in Greece make it luxury
Minister Ng: Canada disappointed with unfair U.S. duties on softwood lumber products
 

LEADERSHIP

Happy workforce is productive workforce, says study

LinkedIn can trigger feelings of imposter syndrome
Study suggests corporate culture thwarts efforts to hire innovative candidates
Workplace wellness policies could soften effects of workaholism
Customers willing to wait longer for delivery when they shop in store showroom
Internal crowdfunding fosters innovation and engages employees
 

CRIME

Swiss bank Banque Pictet admits to conspiring with U.S. taxpayers to hide assets and income in offshore accounts

FINRA fines BofA Securities $24 million for treasuries spoofing and related supervisory failures
BNP Paribas subsidiary fined maximum amount over Swiss franc loans
Commission fines Rabobank €26.6 million over Euro-denominated bonds trading cartel
Shell Energy fined £1.4m by Ofcom for consumer protection breaches
Italy's antitrust agency fines energy companies for aggressive billing
 

Magazine

TRAVEL

Go on a sleigh ride in Estonia Varbola stronghold

Bora Bora, first born paradise in French Polynesia
Mushrooms of all kinds will be featured at Autumn Bio Festival in Portugal
Festive winter fun in and around Hannover
Premier Australian motoring event returns this weekend
Yummy cake and bake show in London with great prizes
 

SEA, LAND, AIR

Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban come with new look

Chinese HiPhi revealed electric sedan, too bad it can't be trusted
New 2025 Ram 1500, Hurricane 3L and 420 horsepower
Gulfstream G700 business jet to fly 14,353 kilometers
Beneteau First, slender mainsail and generously sized foresails
Porsche launches speedboat with 400 kW
 

DESIGN

Hollywood Regency, the style that's always in

Filippo Loreti, premium Italian timepieces for adventurous gentlemen
Creative furniture that redefines the meaning of sofa
Perfect ovens for perfect pizza at home
Designer radiators, focal point that heats your room
What to do and what not to do when designing your living room
 

GADGETS

Rode NT1 5th Generation, the ultimate studio microphone

Motorola g family smartphones bring something for everyone
Focal Shape 65 monitor, loudspeakers for home or professional studio
NAD C 268 stereo power amplifier, multipurpose workhorse
DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/Reference, €90,000 for ultimate sound
Motorola razr, foldable phone that allows you to live your real life
 

HEALTH

Huge cantaloupes recall after U.S. Salmonella outbreak

Pathogens use force to breach immune defenses
Governor Moore announces expanded access to contraceptive care across Maryland
California Governor Newsom announces new legislation to prevent illicit use and trafficking of xylazine
Argentina records hundreds of Trichinella cases
Loss of auditory nerve fibers uncovered in individuals with tinnitus
 

MEANTIME

France to donate € 500 million to Brazil's Amazon Fund

New deep space radar will transform UK security
Massive planet too big for its sun pushes astronomers to rethink exoplanet formation
Vera Rubin telescope will generate mind boggling amount of data
Russia launches cargo spacecraft to International Space Station with equipment and gifts
Earth experiences second geomagnetic storm in six days