Researchers have discovered key steps in the development of the corpus callosum, a cable of neurons connecting the two hemispheres of the brain, according to a paper published [Oct. 10] in CellReports. The finding helps pin down the cellular basis of callosal agenesis, a condition in which the corpus callosum does not form properly.
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Early in development, the right and left halves of the brain are separated by a fissure filled with fibroblasts and other non-neural cells, which growing neurons must cross to form the corpus callosum. [Ilan Gobius of the University of Queensland in Australia] and colleagues discovered that neurons can’t make this crossing on their own. Astroglia, supporting cells in the brain, situate beneath the fissure and grow upward, forming a bridge that guides the developing corpus callosum, the team found.
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“The field is desperate for a genetic test for this disorder,” study coauthor Linda Richards of the University of Queensland said…“This opens up the possibility for testing for genes like those that Dr. Gobius identified.”
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Bridging a Gap in the Brain
