Blood Cells Grow in Lab and Show Nerve Proteins After Hormone Treatment

Jenn Hoskins
27th May, 2025

Blood Cells Grow in Lab and Show Nerve Proteins After Hormone Treatment

Phase-contrast (a), panoptic (b), and scanning electron microscopy (c, d) confirmed that the poly-d-lysine substrate successfully maintained healthy mangrove crab (Ucides cordatus) hemocytes, allowing for the clear morphological identification of hyalinocytes, granulocytes, and semigranulocytes.

Image adapted from: Wajsenzon et al. / CC BY (Source)

Key Findings

  • Researchers at Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro found that crab immune cells can transform into brain-like cells in the lab
  • They identified a specific growth surface and added a special extract to successfully grow and differentiate these cells
  • This discovery enhances our understanding of crab brain regeneration and may inspire new approaches to brain repair in other animals
Understanding how animals continuously generate new neurons throughout their lives has long fascinated scientists. This process, known as adult neurogenesis, is crucial for functions like learning and memory. While extensively studied in vertebrates, recent research has begun to uncover similar mechanisms in invertebrates, such as crustaceans. A recent study from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro[1] sheds light on the role of immune cells in the neurogenesis of crabs, building upon earlier findings in crayfish. Adult neurogenesis involves the creation and integration of new neurons into existing brain circuits. In mammals, this process occurs in specific brain regions and relies on neural stem cells that can self-renew, ensuring a steady supply of new neurons[2]. However, studies on crayfish have revealed a different mechanism. Unlike their vertebrate counterparts, crayfish neuronal precursors do not self-renew. Instead, these precursor cells divide symmetrically, with both daughter cells migrating away from their original niche[2]. This continuous loss of precursor cells suggested that an external source must replenish the stem cell pool to maintain neurogenesis as the crayfish grow and age. Further investigations into the crayfish brain revealed a specialized neurogenic niche closely associated with the vascular system[3]. This niche, composed of various cell types, resembles the interfaces seen in vertebrate brains where blood vessels interact with neural stem cells. Additionally, research indicated that immune cells, specifically hemocytes, play a pivotal role in maintaining neurogenesis under normal conditions and responding to neural damage[4]. These hemocytes were found to migrate to the neurogenic niche and potentially transform into neural progenitor cells, highlighting a unique interplay between the immune system and brain regeneration in crustaceans. Building on these insights, the study from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro aimed to explore whether hemocytes from the crab Ucides cordatus could develop into neural cells under controlled conditions. The researchers established a cell-culture protocol to investigate this possibility. They began by selecting an optimal substrate for cell growth and found that hemocytes proliferated and differentiated most effectively on poly-d-lysine, a commonly used coating that promotes cell adhesion. To further encourage the hemocytes to adopt neural characteristics, the research team added pituitary extract to the culture. This extract contains factors that stimulate cell division and differentiation. Using specific antibodies that recognize neural proteins—such as anti-GFAP, anti-vimentin, anti-beta III Tubulin, and anti-NeuN—the scientists were able to identify hemocytes expressing markers indicative of neural progenitors. These findings demonstrated that, when stimulated, hemocytes exhibit mitotic activity and begin to express proteins associated with neural precursors. This breakthrough is significant because it provides the first effective method to culture crustacean blood cells and induce their growth into neural-like cells. Unlike vertebrate cell culture protocols, which are well-established, crustacean cells had previously been challenging to cultivate and manipulate in vitro. The ability to culture and study these cells opens new avenues for understanding the mechanisms underlying adult neurogenesis in crustaceans and the role of the immune system in this process. Moreover, this research reinforces and expands upon earlier studies that highlighted the importance of hemocytes in crustacean neurogenesis[2][3][4]. By demonstrating that hemocytes can differentiate into neural cells outside the organism, the study provides concrete evidence supporting the hypothesis that the immune system contributes directly to the maintenance and replenishment of neural precursor cells in crustaceans. This aligns with previous findings that immune responses are intricately linked to both the creation of new neurons and the brain's response to injury[4]. The implications of this study extend beyond crustacean biology. Understanding how immune cells can transform into neural progenitors may offer insights into novel regenerative strategies for other animals, including humans. It challenges the conventional view that neural stem cells must inherently possess self-renewing capabilities and suggests that external sources of precursor cells could play a more significant role than previously thought. In summary, the research from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro provides a valuable tool for studying crustacean neurogenesis and underscores the critical role of hemocytes in this process. By successfully culturing crab hemocytes and inducing their differentiation into neural-like cells, the study bridges gaps in our understanding of how adult neurogenesis is maintained in invertebrates and highlights potential parallels with vertebrate systems. This advancement not only enriches our knowledge of crustacean biology but also paves the way for future investigations into the universal principles governing brain regeneration across diverse species.

BiochemMarine Biology

References

Main Study

1) Mangrove‐Crab Blood Cells Proliferate In Vitro and Display Neuronal Proteins Following Pituitary‐Extract Stimulus

Published 26th May, 2025

https://doi.org/10.1002/dneu.22972

Related Studies

2) Primary neuronal precursors in adult crayfish brain: replenishment from a non-neuronal source.

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-12-53

3) Adult neurogenesis: ultrastructure of a neurogenic niche and neurovascular relationships.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0039267

4) A Balancing Act: The Immune System Supports Neurodegeneration and Neurogenesis.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-020-00787-5


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