Problems with the brain's "helper cells" may contribute to schizophrenia, a new study in mice suggests.
The study focused on glial cells , which provide support for the neurons that do the "signaling" within the brain. For instance, glial cells help organize the connections among neurons and produce myelin, which acts as insulation around the brain's nerve fibers.
To see if glial cells contribute to schizophrenia , the researchers first took samples of skin cells from people who developed schizophrenia in childhood, before age 13.
Then, the scientists used a technique to reprogram these skin cells to make them into cells called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which have the potential to become any cell type in the body. The researchers then manipulated the iPSCs so they turned into glial progenitor cells, or the cells in the body that give rise to glial cells.
The study focused on glial cells , which provide support for the neurons that do the "signaling" within the brain. For instance, glial cells help organize the connections among neurons and produce myelin, which acts as insulation around the brain's nerve fibers.
To see if glial cells contribute to schizophrenia , the researchers first took samples of skin cells from people who developed schizophrenia in childhood, before age 13.
Then, the scientists used a technique to reprogram these skin cells to make them into cells called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which have the potential to become any cell type in the body. The researchers then manipulated the iPSCs so they turned into glial progenitor cells, or the cells in the body that give rise to glial cells.