Navigation Links
Why do neurons die in Parkinson's disease?
Date:11/10/2011

Boston, Mass. - Current thinking about Parkinson's disease is that it's a disorder of mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles inside cells, causing neurons in the brain's substantia nigra to die or become impaired. A study from Children's Hospital Boston now shows that genetic mutations causing a hereditary form of Parkinson's disease cause mitochondria to run amok inside the cell, leaving the cell without a brake to stop them. Findings appear in the November 11 issue of Cell.

Mitochondrial movement is often a good thing, especially in neurons, which need to get mitochondria to cells' periphery in order to fuel the axons and dendrites that send and receive signals. However, arresting this movement is equally important, says senior investigator Thomas Schwarz, PhD, of Children's F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, since it allows mitochondria to be quarantined and destroyed when they go bad.

"Mitochondria, when damaged, produce reactive oxygen species that are highly destructive, and can fuse with healthy mitochondria and contaminate them, too," Schwarz says. "It's the equivalent of an environmental disaster in the cell."

Studying neurons from fruit flies, rats and mice, as well as cultured human cells, Schwarz and colleagues provide the most detailed understanding to date of the effects of the gene mutations, which encode the proteins Parkin and PINK1. They demonstrate how these proteins interact with proteins responsible for mitochondrial movement -- in particular Miro, which literally hitches a molecular motor onto the organelle.

Normally, when mitochondria go bad, PINK1 tags Miro to be destroyed by Parkin and enzymes in the cell, the researchers showed. When Miro is destroyed, the motor detaches from the mitochondrion. The organelle, unable to move, can then be disposed of: The cell literally digests it.

But when either PINK1 or Parkin is mutated, this containment system fails, leaving the damaged mitochon
'/>"/>

Contact: Erin Tornatore
erin.tornatore@childrens.harvard.edu
617-919-3110
Children's Hospital Boston
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related medicine news :

1. Advanced technology reveals activity of single neurons during seizures
2. Can you hear me now? Researchers detail how neurons decide how to transmit information
3. Bilingual neurons may reveal the secrets of brain disease
4. Human stem cells transformed into key neurons lost in Alzheimers
5. Learning causes structural changes in affected neurons
6. Neurons work like a chain of dominos to control action sequences
7. Neurons cast votes to guide decision-making
8. Neuralstem stem cells survive and differentiate into neurons in rats with stroke
9. With magnetic nanoparticles, scientists remotely control neurons and animal behavior
10. Blinking neurons give thoughts away
11. Could HPV Raise Womens Risk for Heart Disease?
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/21/2013)... A new study appearing in the current ... cells harvested from fat (adipose) are more potent than ... the body’s immune system. , The finding could ... adipose tissue-derived stem cells (AT-SCs) are far more plentiful ... and can be collected from waste material from liposuction ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... Idaho (PRWEB) May 21, 2013 The ... 26 million people in the United States of America ... patients are at a great risk of developing peripheral ... lead normal lives. The ADA further goes on saying ... 20 years and around 2 million new cases are ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... Australia (PRWEB) May 22, 2013 About ... made the Fertility Clinics industry one of ... industry assists patients who are unable to conceive naturally ... and popular of which is in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycles. ... IVF cycles in Australia has increased by 4.4% per ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... (HealthDay News) -- Aggressive treatment for prostate cancer ... with underlying medical conditions, a new study finds. ... radiation and radioactive seed implants, can cause serious ... and bowel problems, explained researchers from the University ... found that older patients with slower growing forms ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... University in St. Louis announced today that it ... funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. ... environmental & chemical engineering, will pursue an innovative ... Killing of Parasite Eggs by Probiotic Organisms." , ... explore ideas that can break the mold in ...
Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):Health News:Stem Cells from Fat Outperform Those from Bone Marrow in Fighting Disease 2Health News:Stem Cells from Fat Outperform Those from Bone Marrow in Fighting Disease 3Health News:Neuracel Aims to Reduce Peripheral Neuropathy Pain 2Health News:Fertility Clinics in Australia Industry Market Research Report Now Available from IBISWorld 2Health News:Fertility Clinics in Australia Industry Market Research Report Now Available from IBISWorld 3Health News:Age, Other Illnesses May Make Prostate Cancer Treatment Unnecessary 2Health News:Gates Fellowship addresses parasite infection in developing world 2
... study has dismissed any association between consumption of dairy products ... total calcium intake//, and consequent changes in body weight. Diet ... calcium. ,More than 19,000 men between the age ... period. All of the study participants consumed a normal diet ...
... immense health benefits. Now, teens, who want that dream weight, ... keep obesity at bay, according to a new study. Researchers ... which combined yoga with breathing exercises certainly helped knock off ... and boys participated in a study. They were divided into ...
... of live chicken and eggs appear to have scaled ... initial fear of a bird flu outbreak abated.// ... Coordination Committee (NECC), “There has been some improvement in ... well as within the state in the last four ...
... report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) ... of money there has been no shortening of waiting ... said that the volume of diagnostic tests and high-priority ... care seems to have increased just as much. Statistics ...
... a new study claims that calcium intake was not associated ... study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. ... who were enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study were ... and relation between total calcium intake from diet and supplements ...
... disease in eastern Sarawak state of Malaysia is causing concern ... shut down all schools in the area to prevent the ... virus, which causes the disease, has so far affected more ... it. "In peninsular Malaysia, the health ministry will take a ...
Cached Medicine News:
(Date:5/21/2013)... May 21, 2013   Accuray Incorporated ... publication of study results involving hundreds of prostate ... System, the most widely used form of prostate ... 304 patients for a median of 5 years, ... that 97 percent of patients with low-risk and ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... ORLANDO, Fla. , May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ... and safety results from the global Phase 3 ... protease inhibitor simeprevir (TMC435) led to sustained virologic ... (SVR12) in 79 percent of treatment-experienced genotype 1 ... disease, including all stages of liver fibrosis, when ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... , May 21, 2013 Abaxis, Inc. ... analysis systems, announced today that Martin Mulroy ... the Stifel Annual Dental & Veterinary Conference on Wednesday, ... will be held at Le Parker Meridien Hotel in ... About Abaxis Abaxis develops, manufactures, markets and ...
Breaking Medicine Technology:New Data Validates CyberKnife SBRT for Prostate Cancer Treatment 2New Data Validates CyberKnife SBRT for Prostate Cancer Treatment 3Primary Efficacy and Safety Findings from Phase 3 Study of Janssen's Simeprevir Administered Once Daily Demonstrate Sustained Virologic Response in Treatment-Experienced Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C Adult Patients 2Primary Efficacy and Safety Findings from Phase 3 Study of Janssen's Simeprevir Administered Once Daily Demonstrate Sustained Virologic Response in Treatment-Experienced Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C Adult Patients 3Primary Efficacy and Safety Findings from Phase 3 Study of Janssen's Simeprevir Administered Once Daily Demonstrate Sustained Virologic Response in Treatment-Experienced Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C Adult Patients 4Primary Efficacy and Safety Findings from Phase 3 Study of Janssen's Simeprevir Administered Once Daily Demonstrate Sustained Virologic Response in Treatment-Experienced Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C Adult Patients 5Primary Efficacy and Safety Findings from Phase 3 Study of Janssen's Simeprevir Administered Once Daily Demonstrate Sustained Virologic Response in Treatment-Experienced Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C Adult Patients 6Primary Efficacy and Safety Findings from Phase 3 Study of Janssen's Simeprevir Administered Once Daily Demonstrate Sustained Virologic Response in Treatment-Experienced Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C Adult Patients 7Abaxis, Inc. to Present at the Stifel Annual Dental & Veterinary Conference 2
... Sept. 9, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (" Valeant ... of Afexa Life Sciences Inc. (" Afexa ") its offer ... friendly offer (the " Offer ") for all of the ... at a price of C$0.71 in cash per Common Share. ...
... YORK, Sept. 8, 2011 NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE ... "Company"), an international biopharmaceutical company with a focus ... presenting at three upcoming September conferences: the Rodman ... Commercialization Summit, and the JMP Securities Healthcare Conference. ...
Cached Medicine Technology:Valeant Pharmaceuticals Announces Mailing of Offer and Take-Over Bid Circular to Shareholders of Afexa 2Valeant Pharmaceuticals Announces Mailing of Offer and Take-Over Bid Circular to Shareholders of Afexa 3Valeant Pharmaceuticals Announces Mailing of Offer and Take-Over Bid Circular to Shareholders of Afexa 4NeoStem Announces Participation in Multiple September Conferences 2NeoStem Announces Participation in Multiple September Conferences 3
2.5x8mm Spatula Combined with 8mm Blade; in stainless steel....
0.6mm Tip x10mm Shaft, Straight Shaft, 90 Degree Hook at Tip; overall length 120mm; in Titianium....
Bend with "H" Shaped Tip, Right; Stainless Steel....
... Perfusion Catheter is indicated for ... portion of a coronary artery ... the purpose of improving myocardial ... are also designed to provide ...
Medicine Products: