Thiruvananthapuram: A study by scientists at BRIC-The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (BRIC-RGCB) has shed light on brain development and the maintenance of neural stem cells.
In a statement, BRIC-RGCB said the research, recently published by its scientists, provides new insights into the complex processes governing brain development and the long-term maintenance of neural stem cells, opening avenues for therapeutic interventions in neurological conditions.
The work, conducted at BRIC-RGCB, also underscores India's growing contribution to cutting-edge global scientific research and its commitment to understanding the human brain, it added.
"The findings of this groundbreaking study have been published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), one of the world's most cited multidisciplinary scientific journals," BRIC-RGCB said.
Led by principal investigator Dr Jackson James, the study identifies and characterises a previously unknown type of neural stem cell that plays a vital role in brain development and lifelong maintenance, it added.
The research introduces Notch-independent Hes1-expressing neural stem cells (NIHes1 NSCs) as a distinct and functionally significant population of stem cells that operate independently of traditional Notch signalling, challenging previous understandings of neural stem cell homogeneity, BRIC-RGCB said.
Dr James said the findings significantly advance the understanding of how the brain develops and maintains its regenerative capacity.
"The discovery of Notch-independent Hes1-expressing neural stem cells and their critical roles in both embryonic and adult neurogenesis opens new avenues for therapeutic interventions in neurological conditions," he said.
The study leveraged advanced techniques, including single-cell transcriptomics and conditional knockout mouse models, to meticulously characterise these neural stem cell populations, it further said.