Sea lampreys can regrow neurons using a small molecule known as cAMP
Unlike humans, eel-like fish known as sea lampreys can regrow some of their neurons. Scientists at the University of Missouri have identified one of the molecules that allows this to happen. In work published in the journal Neuroscience, the researchers focused on a specific group of neurons known as reticulospinal neurons located in the brain stem, which help the parasitic lampreys (pictured) swim through the water. In an injury that would leave a human permanently paralyzed, the sea lamprey can regrow these neurons and return to swimming in a few weeks. Scientists found that the molecule known as cyclic AMP (cAMP) could convert these neurons from a non-growing to a growing state in cell culture. cAMP didn't have an effect on neurons that had already begun growing. The researchers hope that these results can provide insights into neural regeneration that may one day help humans with spinal cord injuries or neurodegenerative disease.
Read more:
http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2013/1121-mu-research-sheds-light-on-nerve-regeneration-following-spinal-cord-injury/
Journal article: Cyclic AMP stimulates neurite outgrowth of lamprey reticulospinal neurons without substantially altering their biophysical properties. Neuroscience, 2013. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.04.016
Story via Neuroscience Research Techniques
Image via T. Lawrence
I think the vital part of this is the neurite outgrowth part. We generate cAMP and it shows a little neuronal regrowth activity in mammals, but in agnatha it looks like it's able to coerce nerves out of their static phase and back into reproduction, where they can grow across the damaged area. (If I'm reading this correctly.) So, it's nice to know the cascade but figuring out how they can get neurons to start reproducing, and whether we even have that pathway, will show if this is useful in mammals.
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