Repairing Your Neuron

It has long been thought that once damaged, a neuron will not repair itself. New research, however, is trying to find new ways to encourage neuron regeneration. During embryonic development, a growth factor called netrin1 is released by floor plate cells. It had been thought that netrin1 acted as a "long-distance guide" for axon growth by attracting axons toward this growth factor from a relative distance, however, Varadarajan et al, 2017, found something to the contrary.

Rather than acting on axon growth from a distance, netrin1 has been found to be released from early, undifferentiated neuronal cells. Once released, netrin1 forms a pathway stemming from the point of secretion, creating an environment for the axon to proliferate on. Thus, netrin1 is a direct influencer of where new axons form on the neuron.

This extremely exciting research is the first step to considering neuronal regeneration. More research needs to be done to figure out exactly what factors encourage axons to interact and grow on netrin1. The hope is that netrin1 can be localized to a damaged neuron after injury to promote regrowth, something once thought to be implausible.

Works Cited
Varadarajan, S.G. et al. "Netrin1 Produced by Neural Progenitors, Not Floor Plate Cells, Is Required for Axon Guidance in the Spinal Cord". Neuron, Volume 94, Issue 4, p790–799.e3, 17 May 2017. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2017.03.007