MALMO – Swedish researchers have shown that a derivative of cholesterol is necessary for the formation of brain cells by conducting experiments on mice.
In a research article published in the journal Cell Stem Cell,
The researcher writes that dopamine-producing nerve cells play an important part in many brain functions and processes, from motor skills to reward systems and dependency.
They are also the type of cell that dies in Parkinson’s disease,
The current study has also shown that embryonic stem cells, cultivated in the laboratory, form more dopamine-producing nerve cells if they are treated with oxidized cholesterol.
According to the study report, the same treatment also reduced the tendency of the stem cells to show uncontrolled growth.
“Oxysterol contributes to a safer and better cultivation of dopamine-producing cells, which is a great advancement since it increases the possibility of developing new treatments for
The researchers hoped that it will one day be possible to replace dead cells in the brains of
Such cells can also be used to test new