Friday, 13 June 2025 08:09

Steering brain cells with force to rebuild lost connections

Anteprima Figure paperA collaborative study led by Prof. Vittoria Raffa at the University of Pisa, Prof. Fabian Raudzus (Department of Clinical Application) and Prof. Marco Onorati at the University of Pisa has unveiled a novel approach that uses magnetically guided mechanical forces to direct axonal growth, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of stem cell-based therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurological conditions.

This study was published in the journal Advanced Science
 
Legend: iPSC-derived dopaminergic progenitor neurospheres under the effect of stretching (magenta arrows). Modified from De Vincentiis et al., 2025