Co-author, Professor Alexander Gourine (UCL Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience) stated: “Astrocytes are star-shaped cells discovered throughout the brain. They are tactically placed between the brain blood vessels and afferent neuron. These cells supply neurons with vital metabolic and structural support, modulate neuronal circuit activity and might also operate as versatile surveyors of brain scene, tuned to sense conditions of prospective metabolic deficiency.
” The capability to manage brain astrocytes using an electromagnetic field provides the researchers a brand-new tool to study the function of these cells in health and illness that might be essential for future advancement of novel and efficient treatments for some typical neurological disorders, such as epilepsy and stroke.”
Senior author, Professor Mark Lythgoe (UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging) said: “Because astrocytes are sensitive to touch, decorating them with magnetic particles implies you can offer the cells a small prod from outside the body utilizing a magnet, and as such, manage their function. This ability to from another location control astrocytes provides a brand-new tool for understanding their function and might have the possible to treat brain conditions.”
In establishing MMS, scientists at UCL set out to produce a more clinically relevant brain cell control strategy. This contrasts with other existing research tools, such as optogenetics and chemogenetics, which need foreign genes to be placed into the brain cells, usually with the help of a virus. This need for hereditary modification has actually been a major challenge to the scientific translation of the existing techniques.
Lead scientist Dr. Yichao Yu (UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging) stated: “Our new technology utilizes magnetic particles and magnets to from another location and specifically control brain cell activity and, significantly, does this without presenting any gadget or foreign gene into the brain.
” In the laboratory-based research study, we coated tiny magnetic particles with an antibody that allows them to bind particularly to astrocytes. The particles were then delivered to the target brain area in the rat through injection.
” Another advantage of using micromagnets is that they light up on an MRI scan so we can track their place and target really specific parts of the brain to get precise control of brain function.”
Teacher Lythgoe, who got the Royal Society of Medicine Ellison– Cliffe Award 2021 for his “contribution of essential science to the development of medicine,” added: “We are very delighted about this technology due to the fact that of its medical potential. In contrast to existing approaches, MMS benefits from the impressive sensitivity to touch of specific brain cells, for that reason neither genetic engineering nor gadget implantation is required. This makes MMS an appealing candidate as an option, less invasive therapy compared to the currently used deep brain stimulation techniques that need the insertion of electrodes into the brain.”
Reference: “Selective and remote Control of Astrocytes by Magnetomechanical Stimulation” by Yichao Yu, Christopher Payne, Nephtali Marina, Alla Korsak, Paul Southern, Ana García-Prieto, Isabel N. Christie, Rebecca R. Baker, Elizabeth M. C. Fisher, Jack A. Wells, Tammy L. Kalber, Quentin A. Pankhurst, Alexander V. Gourine and Mark F. Lythgoe, 19 December 2021, Advanced Science.DOI: 10.1002/ advs.202104194.
Graphic illustration of magnetomechanical stimulation. Credit: Yichao Yu and Mark Lythgoe at UCL
Scientists at UCL have established a new method that uses microscopic magnetic particles to remotely activate brain cells; scientists state the discovery in rats could potentially cause the development of a brand-new class of non-invasive treatments for neurological disorders.
Released in Advanced Science, the pioneering method called “magnetomechanical stimulation” enables touch sensitive brain glial cells called astrocytes to be stimulated with a magnetic gadget outside the body.
Microscopic magnetic particles, or micromagnets, are attached to astrocytes, and utilized as mini mechanical switches that can turn “on” the cells when a strong magnet is positioned near the head.
Co-author, Professor Alexander Gourine (UCL Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience) stated: “Astrocytes are star-shaped cells found throughout the brain. These cells provide neurons with essential metabolic and structural support, modulate neuronal circuit activity and might likewise operate as flexible property surveyors of brain milieu, tuned to sense conditions of potential metabolic deficiency.
In developing MMS, researchers at UCL set out to produce a more scientifically appropriate brain cell control method. In contrast to existing approaches, MMS takes advantage of the impressive sensitivity to touch of particular brain cells, for that reason neither genetic modification nor gadget implantation is needed.
