An axon is the extension of a neuron that communicates with other neurons. Researchers at the Penn State created an elegantly simple model of the axon which they used to reproduce a change in the axon's shape that is characteristic of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

This is a breakthrough in a highly simplified biophysical model system. The model created by the Penn State researchers provides a novel avenue for looking deep into the specific mechanisms that contribute to complex brain disorders. This could also lead to discovering new drugs for the treatment of such disorders.

The research study will appear on the April 4 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

This model, produced in the laboratory of Paul S. Weiss, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Physics at Penn State, has the essential features of an axon, including a lipid membrane that encloses a "cytoskeleton" scaffolding, which produces the axon's shape. The outer membrane was prepared to contain a very small amount of dye molecules that are sensitive to ultraviolet light. Shining light on the artificial axons initiated a photochemical reaction that produced highly reactive "free radicals" and triggered a catastrophic oxidative-stress reaction. The result was that the previously protruding microtubule cytoskeleton collapsed into a constricted and deformed structure resembling a string of beads--the same morphology observed during the Degeneration of actual neurons.

Read more at Penn State Science News.

News and Photo Source: [Penn State Science News]