Introduction

UK research suggests it's possible to chemically control the regeneration of nerves in the CNS

UK research suggests it's possible to chemically control the regeneration of nerves in the CNS

Researchers from Imperial College London and the Hertie Institute, University of Tuebingen have identified a possible mechanism for re-growing damaged nerve fibres in the central nervous system (CNS).

Published in Nature Communications, the research highlights the role of a protein called P300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF), which appears to be essential for the series of chemical and genetic events that allow nerves to regenerate. When researchers injected PCAF into mice with damage to their central nervous system, this significantly increased the number of nerve fibres that grew back.

Read more:
Imperial College press release
Abstract in Nature Communications