New role identified for scars at the site of injured spinal cord

(Source – National Institutes of Health)

For decades, it was thought that scar-forming cells called astrocytes were responsible for blocking neuronal regrowth across the level of spinal cord injury, but recent findings challenge this idea. According to a new mouse study, astrocyte scars may actually be required for repair and regrowth following spinal cord injury. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, and published in Nature.

“At first, we were completely surprised when our early studies revealed that blocking scar formation after injury resulted in worse outcomes. Once we began looking specifically at regrowth, though, we became convinced that scars may actually be beneficial,” said Michael V. Sofroniew, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurobiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and senior author of the study. “Our results suggest that scars may be a bridge and not a barrier towards developing better treatments for paralyzing spinal cord injuries.” Read more…

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