Among the many aspects studied zebrafish, there is one that concerns us: this fish is able to fully heal from spinal cord injuries that would leave a man paralyzed or killed. Now researchers at Duke University may have identified a key protein for the success of this process, as told by a study published in Science.
Come along. When the spinal cord zebrafish passes through a regeneration phase, above the lesion
will form a kind of bridge. A group of nerve supporting cells (glial cells) form projections which estedono at distances of tens of times their length: only at this point new nerve cells to follow the wheel, filling the "hole" of the wound over of 8 weeks.
Supervised SPECIAL. Among the dozens of zebrafish genes that are more active shown after a spinal injury, the researchers have identified seven coding for proteins secreted by cells. One of these, called CTGF (connective tissue growth factor) has attracted attention because its levels are highest in the glial cells that are involved in making a bridge in case of damage. When the scientists genetically removed the CTGF from zebrafish, the animals were unable to repair the injury.
NOT THE THING, BUT HOW. The human version of CTGF shares 90% of the amino acids with that of zebrafish: when the researchers added our growth factor for fish lesions, the animals are returned to swim in two weeks from injury.
The difference appears to be in the way in which the protein is controlled: the mere presence of CTGF protein in humans has not in fact guarantees the same capacity for regeneration. The same studies performed on mice will clarify perhaps because, in mammals, occurs not such a healing process.
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