Stem cells developed can produce serotonin neurons

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin by the research and development of a way to manufacture serotonin special nerve cells, serotonin plays an important role in a variety of chemicals in the brain, which can affect the body's mood, sleep, anxiety, depression , loss of appetite and other symptoms, but also a lot of serious mental disorders who plays an important role, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders.

Researcher Su-Chun Zhang said, from the essence, serotonin can regulate many aspects of the body's brain function, including exercise, this chemical substance is located in back of the head by a series of special structure of neurons generated, and serotonin may play a role because of its influence manufacture serotonin neurons can have an impact on almost every part of the brain.

Research published in the international journal Nature Biotechnology, the researchers began the two types of stem cell research, one of which comes from the embryo, another from adult cells, because serotonin neurons can be generated before birth, so researchers must create a suitable chemical environment fetal development in the womb; they said, it sounds quite simple, but we need to make to produce many different types of nerve cells, for which it is necessary to guide stem cells to make it develop into a special form, followed by the use of a specially designed molecular sequences studied at the specified concentration.

While other scientists can make adult stem cells into becoming similar to serotonin neurons cells, the researchers used previous research in pluripotent stem cells produce serotonin neurons in a small part, but it is difficult to study these cells, if it is detected to 10 neurons, which have only two serotonin neurons, but the researchers can not barely detectable release of serotonin.

In order to confirm that these new cells could play a similar function of serotonin neurons, the researchers will be able to reveal react to certain FDA approved drugs neurons, these FDA approved drugs can be adjusted by depression and anxiety serotonin pathways happen; Previously researchers tried to use the mouse model study, this paper they use other growth factors were related research.

Although the cells derived from stem cells can be used to detect drug toxicity, and researchers to target higher serotonin neurons, they believe that the current research could help develop new drugs more effective, especially with high levels of neuronal function related to effective drug. This particular nerve cells from human organism, which can be very beneficial for patients suffering from depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety.

Because neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells, this study find relevant therapy for the treatment of mental illness provides a new way of thinking, but also for the post-researchers try to develop new personalized treatment provided some ideas.