Research group Yves-Alain Barde

Which molecular mechanisms underlie the development of the nervous system?

Understanding how cellular and molecular processes regulate the development of nerve cells provides valuable clues with regard to the cause of diseases of the nervous system.

Human neurons differentiated from embryonic stem cells.

The nervous system consists of nerve cells (neurons) which stop dividing at an early stage during development. This is one of the main reasons why the nervous system is essentially unable to regenerate after damage caused by trauma or neurodegenerative diseases.

Growth factors

Our research group investigates growth factors that keep nerve cells alive during their development and support their function in the adult. These factors are present in the nervous system in minute quantities and one of our goals is to understand their mechanisms of action sufficiently well to mimic their effects with specific small substances.

Stem cells

Growth factors bind to receptors localized on nerve cells. As these cells no longer divide, we have developed a novel method of investigation based on the use of embryonic stem cells. These cells have the advantage that when kept undifferentiated in culture, they divide unrestrictedly. But in addition, they can also be differentiated in a targeted manner to neurons resembling those found in the brain. The genome of embryonic stem cells can also be specifically altered in order to study receptors for growth factor receptors and their mode of action. With human embryonic stem or reprogrammed cells, it is now possible to investigate human neurons carrying specific genetic defects.

Growth factors and diseases of the nervous system

In vertebrates, growth factors have been at the forefront of basic research in developmental biology for many years and meanwhile, a whole series of nervous system diseases has been identified in which growth factors and their receptors play critical roles role. The spectrum of disease extends from the regulation of food intake to depression, memory loss, and neurodegenerative diseases, thus contribution to make growth factors of increasing relevance in biomedicine.