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Why human brain cells grow so slowly

Posted by Otto Knotzer on February 03, 2024 - 12:29pm

Why human brain cells grow so slowly

Some human neurons take years to reach maturity; an epigenetic ‘brake’ could be responsible.

 

 

Read the paper here: An epigenetic barrier sets the timing of human neuronal maturation

Growing human neurons in the lab can be a time-consuming process. Some cortical cells take years to reach maturity - many times slower than the equivalent cells in a mouse. Researchers have been exploring some of the mechanisms that could be behind these very different timescales of growth - and have found a kind of epigenetic ‘braking’ effect that slows maturation. Manipulating this ‘brake’ could allow scientists to speed up the study of older brain cells in a dish.