Are Immune System Molecules Brain-Builders---And Destroyers?
Summary
A group of scientists from Stanford University, about five years ago, wanted to see how the developing of the brain starts the last set of synapses. A synapse is when cells in the nervous system converse with each other and with cells that are not of the nervous system. When the scientists tried to find the genes involved, they found something they did not expect: they found a gene, C1q, which is a protein important for the immune system.
Before this, it was believed that the brain had no immune cells. Scientists have discovered that these molecules exist and that they have an important role there. Experts say that these findings help show they way the brain works and why disorders such as autism and Alzheimer's disease occur and that this could help find new therapies to treat them.
Lisa Boulanger, a neurobiologist, says that the body is constantly under immune surveillance. The surveillance is not as quick in the brain, that is why it was thought that there were no immune cells in the brain.
A team from Harvard University ran a procedure to find genes controlled by neuron firing and they unexpectedly found a gene that is critical for the immune system to recognize pathogens that are invading. Studies showed that the immune proteins functioned differently in the brain than they did on the body. The proteins in the brain control the signals that are sent between neurons instead of looking for germs.
Other research that was done has shown that immune molecules are important to keep the brain working correctly. During childhood, unnecessary connections are slowly removed and that production of C1q climaxes at that time.
Scientists have discovered that C1q seems to be a connection between synapse loss and glaucoma. Also, scientists believe that the immune proteins are so important that if something disrupts them, it could cause autism and schizophrenia. Scientists have also discovered that if a pregnant woman is exposed to a virus it is more likely that the child could develop one of these disorders. They think that the immune molecules that are in the brain may be the cause.
Recently, Boulanger found that if the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules are decreased in both the bodies and brains of mice, symptoms of autism and schizophrenia occurred. She is now trying to see if this is the same in humans by checking bodily fluid samples of autistic and schizophrenic patients to check the MHC class I levels. If this research holds up it could help with the development of drug treatment for these disabilities and understanding the cause of them.
Basically, by determining the relationship between the immune molecules and diseases of brain degeneration and damage, this could help find new way to treat the diseases.
My Response
I think it's really interesting how immune cells have a totally different function in the brain than in the rest of the body. I also think it's interesting that scientists have found out that these could be what causes certain diseases and disabilities. I am glad that by researching this, scientists can try to find treatments for the diseases. I think it is amazing that God has made our bodies so complex and detailed. I also think that it is amazing that scientists can find out so much about us and our bodies and that they can find out how diseases are caused and how to treat them. Our technology keeps getting better and will help the scientists in their research and they will be able to find out even more things.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=are-immune-system-molecules-build-brains
3 Comments:
The article I summarized and responded too may have a VERY close relationship with the proteins mentioned in this article. My article was on the use of giving proteins to patients with these disorders (autism and some other things causing mental retardation) and the effect was that the symptoms greatly decreased. I did not know that scientists originally thought there were no immunity cells in the brain, it is also very interesting (not to mention important) that these immunity cells act differently than the other immunity cells of the body. If this research is furthered along with the research from my article I have hope that autism and other mental diseases can be reversed.
Wow. It is cool how many new things scientists have been finding. Immune system molecules
are something I'm sure no one thought existed and now we have found it. I hope we can find cures for alzheimer's and other diseases. Alzheimer's is such a terrible disease and if we can cure it then it would prevent a lot of tragic cases for families. I hope this one works out.
I think it is interesting that immune cells may actually cause harm to the body by being responsible for some diseases and disabilities. It is sort of ironic how a thing that we think of as something that keeps us healthy also can have a negative effect.
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