研究人员“培育”新脑细胞治疗大脑损伤

Researchers Repair Brain Injuries With New Cells 研究人员“培育”新脑细胞治疗大脑损伤

A group of researchers at Rice University in Texas are learning how to help the brain heal from serious injuries.

Brain cells, called neurons, connect with each other through chemical and electrical signals. They form networks. They use proteins to grow.

The researchers want to find out if they can direct the growth of neurons and help them form these important links. If the researchers can understand this process, they think they will be able to help people who have suffered brain injuries stimulate¹ new nerve tissue.

Amina Qutub is a bioengineer who studies the brain. She studies what happens when a person’s brain does not receive enough oxygen. When the brain lacks oxygen, it is having a stroke.

Qutub says scientists used to think brain cells were “static.” That means everyone was born with a limited number of brain cells, and the number of those cells could never increase.

“But a lot of new research shows we’re able to regenerate² nerve cells,” she says.

Qutub works with an electrical engineer and a biologist on the research team.

The goal is to learn how to repair parts of the brain that are damaged in a stroke. The brains can be damaged by a degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s disease. Or in a traumatic injury, such a getting hit in the head.

The networks the brain forms as called neural³ networks, and they are complex. Pre-neurons are even harder to understand.

"They form very elaborate and beautiful networks and the different network structures relate to what they do, their function. And what we are trying to do is figure out  what are the chemical signals that lead to a particular structure and, in turn, how does that structure lead to the electrical signals you get when you have active neurons."

The Rice research is supported in part by President Barack Obama's $300 million BRAIN Initiative, which is modeled after the Human Genome Project.

Qutub says the research “opens up a huge door to better understanding the brain."

A small, tropical fish is contributing to the research. It is called a zebrafish because of its stripes.

Zebrafish embryos⁵ are being used by the research team because their embryos are transparent⁶. That way they can see a living brain work.

Qutub says that is not possible with humans.

“In zebrafish, we can watch the neural progenitor⁷ cells become neurons.”

The research program will create a computer model. That model will help researchers get a better idea of how the brain works.

One day, they may be able to provide better treatment for people with brain injuries.

Words in This Story

degenerative – adj. causing the body or part of the body to become weaker or less able to function as time passes

elaborate – adj. made or done with great care or with much detail : having many parts that are carefully arranged or planned

embryo⁴ – n. a human or animal in the early stages of development before it is born, hatched, etc

genome – n. an organism’s complete set of DNA⁸

huge – adj. very large

neuron – n. a cell that carries messages between the brain and other parts of the body and that is the basic unit of the nervous system

progenitor– n. something that begins the development of something else

static – adj. showing little or no change, action, or progress

stimulate – v. to cause or encourage (something) to happen or develop

traumatic– adj. related to or caused by a severe injury to your body

tropical fish – n. a small, brightly colored fish that lives in warm water in tropical areas

function– v. to work or operate

1 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

2 regenerate   

vt.使恢复，使新生；vi.恢复，再生；adj.恢复的

参考例句：

• Their aim is to regenerate British industry.他们的目的是复兴英国的工业。
• Although it is not easy,you have the power to regenerate your life.尽管这不容易，但你有使生活重获新生的能力。

3 neural   

adj.神经的，神经系统的

参考例句：

• The neural network can preferably solve the non- linear problem.利用神经网络建模可以较好地解决非线性问题。
• The information transmission in neural system depends on neurotransmitters.信息传递的神经途径有赖于神经递质。

4 embryo   

n.胚胎，萌芽的事物

参考例句：

• They are engaging in an embryo research.他们正在进行一项胚胎研究。
• The project was barely in embryo.该计划只是个雏形。

5 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句

6 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

7 progenitor   

n.祖先，先驱

参考例句：

• He was also a progenitor of seven presidents of Nicaragua.他也是尼加拉瓜7任总统的祖先。
• Schoenberg was a progenitor of modern music.勋伯格是一位现代音乐的先驱。

8 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。