Potential treatment strategies for multiple sclerosis
Monday, June 24, 2013 - 13:30
in Health & Medicine
Myelin, the fatty coating that protects neurons, is destroyed in diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Researchers have been striving to determine whether oligodendrocytes, cells that produce myelin, can be stimulated to make new myelin. Using live imaging in zebrafish to track oligodendrocytes, researchers discovered that oligodendrocytes coat neurons with myelin for only five hours after they are born. If the findings hold true in humans, they could lead to new treatment strategies for multiple sclerosis.