As "nurse" cells for neurons in the brain parenchyma,astrocytes are resident glial cells produced from neuroectoderm.
How astrocytes become pathological?
Recent research has identified astrocytes as major disease-propagating agents in mutant human superoxide dismutase 1 (mSOD1)-mediated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
However, due to the widespread expression of mSOD1 throughout the CNS of the investigated rodent models, in vivo examination of a specific astrocytic effect in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has proven challenging.
In order to understand how mutant astrocytes affect WT MNs and other cell types (microglia and astrocytes) in an in vivo environment, we transplanted SOD1(G93A) glial-restricted precursor cells into the cervical spinal cord of WT rats.
SOD1(G93A) glial-restricted progenitor cells that were transplanted survived and successfully differentiated into astrocytes.
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