The Brain, the most complex part of the human body. What lies within the human head remains a mystery even today! In the pursuit of unraveling this puzzle, several scientists have joined hands, creating a ‘map’ of the human brain.
Experts claim that such detailed ‘atlases’ have never been constructed before. They’ve identified over three thousand types of cells, many of which were previously unknown. This significant work has been published in the fields of science, scientific advancements, and translational medicine across 21 research papers.
The report states that the brain remains the most intricate part of the human body, with much yet to be unveiled. Neuroscientist Antony Hannan from Australia’s ‘Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health’ commented, ‘This research is of utmost importance.’
Previously, scientists had created brain maps using ‘magnetic resonance imaging’ methods, but they lacked such detailed information. This is the first time a complete atlas of the cellular level of the brain has been developed, capturing molecular reactions within the brain cells.
This research is a part of the ‘US National Institutes of Health,’ employing advanced neurotechnology. Several scientists from various parts of the world have contributed to this study.
The primary goal of this project is to catalog the cells in the brain. Scientists aim to gather diverse information on the brain cells and their variations, not only in humans but also in primates like chimpanzees and other animals, trying to understand various brain ailments and their causes.
Significantly contributing to creating the brain map is neuroscientist Kimberley Seletti and her team from the ‘University Medical Center Utrecht’ in the Netherlands. They sequenced over 30 million RNA sequences from 106 regions of the brain.
Using three male bodies’ donated tissues and a deceased woman’s motor cortex, they conducted these analyses. Seletti identified 461 types of cells, among which there are over three thousand subtypes.
She remarked, ‘The diversity of these cells surprised me.’ Another scientist involved in this study, Sten Linnarsson, stated, ‘The brain or brainstem harbors the most diverse types of neurons or nerve cells. This research illustrates how complex the brainstem truly is.’
Molecular biologist Bing Ren from the University of California added that this research not only explores brain illnesses but also sheds light on the unconventional genes behind them. This insight will greatly aid in understanding brain disorders and eventually finding effective treatments
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