Gene And Microglia Mediate Early Synapse Loss Essay

In the primary research article given to us titled â€Å"Complement and microglia mediate early synapse loss in Alzheimer mouse models† it talks about a study about the causes of Alzheimer’s disease in mice. Alzheimer’s is believed to be caused by multiple factors. One of these are called complement proteins. According to the University of Washington, they are a group of around 20 different proteins that assist with fighting infections. Complement proteins are found in our blood and they assist in fighting infections in various ways. Some of these proteins bind to the surface of a pathogen were antibodies are already present to make sure that the pathogen is phagocytized. Other proteins cause histamines to be released or act as a signal to draw phagocytes to the pathogens. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, C3 is a type of complement protein that is vital to the activation of the entire complement system. C1q is another complement pro tein that it is a piece of the classical pathway for the activation of the complement system. According to the The Green Lab at the University of California Irvine, macroglia are the immune cells of the central nervous system. Their functions include removing bacteria and unwanted materials from the brain. In order to combat neurological damage and inflammations they have to be activated first. According to the Alzheimer s Association, Alzheimer’s is a disease that causes a steady decline in brain functions such asShow MoreRelatedA Study On Rett Syndrome ( Rtt )1696 Words   |  7 PagesRett Syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a mutation of a gene on the X chromosome and therefore, more commonly found in females (Renieri et al, 2003). A limited number of cases have been documented in males (Katz et al, 2012). Prior research has shown that a mutation in the methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) gene predominantly causes RTT (Forbes-Lorman et al, 201 4). The MeCP2 gene holds the information for the production of the protein methyl cytosine binding proteinRead MoreGenetic And Epigenetic Influences On Autism Spectrum Disorders : A Role For The Methyl1619 Words   |  7 Pages The genetics of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) rarely display a Mendelian mode of inheritance, and can result from a single rare gene mutation, more common variations in single nucleotide polymorphisms, or often a combination of these two factors in conjunction with environmental influences [1]. In contrast, epigenetic mechanisms are heritable changes in gene expression which do not change the DNA sequence [1]. Epigenetic changes to the genome may predispose the development of NDD when combined