Migrating Stem Cells Reveal Brain Reaction Following Stroke

A newly discovered type of brain stem cell may reveal new focuses for stroke treatment, according to researchers at Lund University in Sweden.

Researchers discovered the cells, known as pericytes, just two years ago, which work by dropping out from the blood vessel wall and migrating towards damaged regions of the brain. 

As previous studies have shown how pericytes contribute to tissue repair in many organs, researchers note that this is the first study to indicate their involvement in brain tissue following a stroke.

"Pericytes are a fascinating cell type with many different properties and found at high density in the brain. It was surprising that a pericyte subtype is so strongly activated after a stroke. The fact that pericytes can be converted into microglia, which have an important function in the brain after a stroke, was an unexpected finding that opens up a new possibility to influence inflammation associated with a stroke", said Gesine Paul-Visse, neurologist at Lund University and senior author of the study, via a press release. 

For the study, researchers used a green fluorescent protein to bound the pericytes that were able to track the cells' path to damaged areas of the brain. The migration of these cells take place around a week after a stroke, in which the cells reach the site of the damaged areas and are converted into microglia cells that 'clean' the central nervous system. Though the exact role of microglia cells in stroke regeneration is not entirely clear, researchers understand that pericytes play an important role in protecting the brain against disease and injury.

"We now need to elucidate how pericytes affect the brain's recovery following a stroke. Our findings put pericytes in focus as a new target for brain repair and future research will help us understand more about the brain's own defence and repair mechanisms."

Researchers hope that their findings can push for future treatment possibilities to prevent the harmful effects of stroke. 

"Because inflammation following a stroke is an event that continues after the acute stage, we hope that targeting pericytes in the subacute phase after stroke, i.e. within a longer time window following the onset of stroke, may influence the outcome", Gesine Paul-Visse concluded, via the release.

More information regarding the study can gbe seen via the journal Acta Neuropathologica.