Alexander Kravetz
Pronouns: He/Him
Research Mentor(s): Thanh Hoang
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Ophthalmology and CDB / Medicine
Program:
Authors: Alexander Kravetz, Duc Vu
Session: Session 6: 3:40 pm – 4:30 pm
Poster: 69
Abstract
In regenerative medicine, a major challenge is to effectively regenerate specific cell types, especially neurons in the central nervous system which are vulnerable to damage and disease. Our lab research focuses on reprogramming non-neuronal cells, like glial cells, into functional neurons as a potential therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. We have recently identified several key factors, such as Nfia/b/x and Rbpj, that play a critical role in this reprogramming process. In this study, we found deletion of Rbpj and Nfia/b/x resulted in a robust wide-spread generation of new neurons from astrocytes in multiple brain regions, including cortex, striatum and midbrain without requiring injury, with unprecedented efficiency. During this process, we observed that astrocytes undergo active proliferation before producing neuronal progenitors, thereby mitigating concerns about potential astrocyte depletion. These neuronal progenitors undergo maturation and express pan mature neuronal markers, such as HuCD and NeuN. The detailed molecular and physiological features of these newborn neurons await for further characterization. This study holds promise for targeted in situ neuronal regeneration and neuron transplantation, offering potential treatments for age-related neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
