flâneur

Mind the Matrix: Looking Beyond Old Cells in Brain Aging

amaranthfoundation.substack.com · 6,767 words · saved by 2 readers

A lot of things can go wrong with cells in the brain as we age, and the same is true for the environment that these cells exist in. Extracellular space accounts for a whopping 20% of the volume in the adult brain [1] and this space is filled with the extracellular matrix (ECM), a rich meshwork of proteins, sugars, and other macromolecules [2]. These molecules surround, influence, and are in turn shaped by the cells of the nervous system in highly dynamic and highly underappreciated ways. Despite the considerable space it takes up, the brain ECM is often ignored. Researchers instead focus on the cells in the brain as if they existed in a vacuum. For the scientists out there, this is perhaps best illustrated with a thought experiment. Imagine you want to study your favorite cells in a dish, whether they are neurons or glia. How often do you consider culturing them on a halfway decent extracellular matrix, let alone any at all? Ironically, “glia” is derived from the Greek word for glue, a

A lot of things can go wrong with cells in the brain as we age, and the same is true for the environment that these cells exist in. Extracellular space accounts for a whopping 20% of the volume in the adult brain [1] and this space is filled with the extracellular matrix (ECM), a rich meshwork of proteins, sugars, and other macromolecules [2]. These molecules surround, influence, and are in turn shaped by the cells of the nervous system in highly dynamic and highly underappreciated ways. Despite the considerable space it takes up, the brain ECM is often ignored. Researchers instead focus on…

saved by

related reading