Key points from article :
Age-related brain stiffening causes loss of function of brain stem cells.
OPCs are important for the regeneration of myelin that surrounds nerve cells.
Function of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) is controlled by the stiffness of its environment.
OPCs lose its function in a stiff environment and regains its function in a soft environment.
Piezo1—a protein found on the cell surface informs the cell whether the environment is soft or stiff.
These findings may have important implications for future treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Research by University of Cambridge, published in the journal Nature.
