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Scientists Measure Communication between Stem Cell-Derived Motor Neurons, Muscle Cells

By Guest PostMay 10, 2012Science: walking, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, bennett g novitch, breathing, communication, electrode, genetic mutation, joy umbach, lou gehrigs disease, motor function, motor neuron, muscle cells, neurodegenerative diseases, neurological disorder, spinal muscular atrophy, synaptic activity, vitro system

In an effort to identify the underlying causes of neurological disorders that impair motor functions such as walking and breathing, UCLA researchers have developed a novel system to measure communication between stem cell–derived motor neurons and muscle cells in a Petri dish.

The study provides an important proof of principle that functional motor circuits can be created outside the body using these neurons and cells and that the level of communication, or synaptic activity, between them can be accurately measured by stimulating the motor neurons with an electrode and then tracking the transfer of electrical activity into the muscle cells to which the neurons are connected. (more…)

Scientists Find Possible Cause of Movement Defects in Spinal Muscular Atrophy

COLUMBUS, Ohio – An abnormally low level of a protein in certain nerve cells is linked to movement problems that characterize the deadly childhood disorder spinal muscular atrophy, new research in animals suggests.

Spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, is caused when a child’s motor neurons – nerve cells that send signals from the spinal cord to muscles – produce insufficient amounts of what is called survival motor neuron protein, or SMN. This causes motor neurons to die, leading to muscle weakness and the inability to move. (more…)

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Scientists Measure Communication between Stem Cell-Derived Motor Neurons, Muscle Cells

Scientists Find Possible Cause of Movement Defects in Spinal Muscular Atrophy