Scientists find astrocytes in mouse brains can repopulate damaged tissue

Researchers at the University of Zurich discovered a population of "regenerative" astrocytes in living mice that repair damaged brain regions by transporting newly formed nuclei along their long extensions. The finding challenges the belief that the adult brain cannot replace lost astrocytes.

• Astrocytes at lesion edges send daughter nuclei gliding over long distances
• Living mouse brains were monitored for weeks with two-photon microscopy
• Genes and signaling pathways temporarily active during repair were identified
• The work matters for conditions like neuromyelitis optica that destroy astrocytes