Conditioning Neurons for Survival

What is it about?

"Conditioning" is a way of preparing cells to survive events and environments that otherwise might be lethal to the cells. Conditioning cells to survive hypoxia and ischemia (low oxygen and low blood flow, as experienced in stroke) is shown to be possible in brain cells both before and after an otherwise lethal insult like hypoxia. New methods and mechanisms of this phenomenon are investigated on hippocampal neurons, and detailed molecular mechanisms are elucidated.

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Why is it important?

Conditioning cells to survive lethal conditions holds tremendous potential to save brain tissue from dying in stroke and certain neurological injuries of the brain and spinal cord. These mechanisms are important for developing neuroprotective therapies, and this may also hold significant potential for helping neural stem cells to survive the harsh conditions of being transplanted into the human nervous system.