Researchers discover new stem cell in brain

Scientists at Lund University in Sweden have discovered a new type of stem cell in the adult brain. These cells have the ability to proliferate and turn into several different types of cells, including brain cells. The researchers looked at brain tissue from biopsies and, for the first time, found stem cells located around small blood vessels in the brain. Similar cell types have been found in other organs. Scientists suggest the curative properties of these types of cells may apply to the brain and this latest discovery brings researchers one step closer to repairing damaged and diseased areas of the brain using its own stem cells. “Our findings show that the cell capacity is much larger than we originally thought, and that these cells are very versatile,” Gesine Paul-Visse, the study’s primary author, said. “The results contribute to better understanding of how brain cell plasticity works and opens up new opportunities to exploit these very features.”