About the cementation of brain cell connections in early life

A new study from the University of Michigan Medical School explains that as we grow, our brain cells are starting to get organized (as these cells aren`t organized when we`re born) and less active stop working. This research is published in Nature Neuroscience in which the team of U-M neuroscientists proves that neurons, a particular type of brain cells keep an active connection with other cells and ignore other synapses.

It is considered that SIRP alpha, a protein that can be found in various parts of the human body plays a significant role in the cementation of active synaptic connections between brain cells. This study is helpful in understanding the basic brain development and aid research on conditions such as intellectual disability, epilepsy, schizophrenia and autism (because all of these conditions are associated with abnormal synapse function). “For the brain to be really functional, we need to keep the most active and most efficient connections. So, during development it`s crucial to establish efficient connections and to eliminate inactive ones. We have identified a key molecular mechanism that the brain uses to stabilize and maturate the most active connections”, said senior author Hisashi Umemori, M.D., Ph.D., a research assistant professor at U-M`s Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute and assistant professor of biological chemistry in Medical School.

SIRP discovery
Besides the important synaptic connections, SIRP also has significant role in other parts of the body as well. One of its most important roles is stopping cancer cells to spread. “This step of shedding SIRP-alpha must be critical to developing a functional neural network”, he says. “And if it`s not done well, disease or disorders may appear. Perhaps we can use this knowledge to treat diseases caused by defects in synapse formation”.