Two Proteins in Young Blood Give Synapses a SPARC
Human neurons sprouted more synapses and fired off more action potentials when bathed in serum from young, but not old, mice, according to a study published June 3 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Kathlyn Gan and Thomas Südhof, Stanford University, zeroed in on two proteins—SPARC-like protein 1 (SPARCL1) and thrombospondin-4 (THBS4) that bestowed serum with these synaptogenic powers. The researchers did not test whether these two proteins enhance synapses in vivo, or whether they cross the blood-brain-barrier. Even so, the findings raise the question if circulating proteins could influence neuronal activity and function.
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