- A process under development may enable the modeling of the human brain in a living representation, according to an article in Science Daily.
Using cells originally from a tumor which have been 'reprogrammed' to stop multiplying, along with a natural molecule used by the body to stimulate cellular development, the cells are turned into a "co-culture" of nerve cells and astrocytes - which the article calls "the most basic units of the human brain." According to the article, this line of research could lead to improved treatments for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
As someone who feels fairly numb at the moment, heavy with all the folks who have died in the last year, I can't help but wonder if this living model could contain joy..... so elusive right now. So I'm engaging in a little art therapy trying to make a co-culture of renewed vision, shed some grief by the polishing the rice bowl method of doing something, namely sculpting a little. (pictured above) Not working so far. Taking out trashing didn't work either. Nor a blog post. But each little action propells forward into the future. That's really all one can do. Go forward.
Go to the article -- in ScienceDaily.com (2009-03-22):
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(((((((Mar)))))
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