Abnormal intercellular communication in the neurodegenerative brain and role(s) of brain extracellular vesicles in the establishment and progression of Alzheimer’s disease

Fecha

miércoles, 09 diciembre 20

Profesores

Xavier Gallart Palau

Near 50 million people live with dementia worldwide and near 10 million of new dementia cases are worldwide diagnosed every year, based on the latest report on 'dementia facts' of the World Health Organization. These referred prevalence figures are expected to triple in the next decades based on the growth in life expectancy happening in developed and developing countries. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the commonest form of dementia affecting the central nervous system in a progressive and degenerative manner, and is believed to initiate as early as 20 years before the apparition of its characteristic dementia-like cognitive symptoms, brain burden of senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and several other classic physiopathological signs. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny lipid bilayer vesicles (50nm-2um) secreted and taken up by almost all cell types in the human body including brain cells. These vesicles, packed with diverse molecular cargoes with relevant signaling abilities, conform an intricate intercellular communication mechanism that is incipiently uncovered by systems biology technologies and that may possess significant role(s) in the establishment and progression of AD.

Additional Information link: https://researchoutreach.org/articles/extracellular-vesicles-insights-mechanisms-underlying-alzheimers-disease/