WIKIMEDIA, BRUNO PASCALMice that received transplants of human glial progenitor cells learned much more quickly than normal mice, according to a study published today (March 7) in Cell Stem Cell. The findings support the theory that glial cells made a significant contribution to the evolution of our own enhanced cognitive abilities.
“This work is very exciting and surprising because it demonstrates that there may be something special about human glial progenitor cells that contribute to the amazing complexity and computational abilities of the human brain,” said Robert Malenka, a neuroscientist at Stanford University who was not involved in the study, in an email to The Scientist.
For many years, glia cells, non-neuronal cells present in the same numbers as neurons in the brain, were thought to play only a supporting role, providing structure, insulation, and nutrients for neurons. But in the past 20 years it has become clear that glia also participate in the transmission of electrical signals. Specifically, astrocytes—a type of glial cell with thousands of tendrils that reach and encase synapses—can modulate signals passing ...
