A new behavior of the blood vessels of the brain in zebrafish has been identified by University of Sheffield scientists. The new finding may help explain some forms of stroke in humans.
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The previously undescribed large structures are spherical and so have been termed kugeln (German for sphere) by the Sheffield team, who discovered them in collaboration with scientists from the USA and Germany.
How to Deal with a Stroke
Stroke is a brain attack, which occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted. It affects all age groups; according to the WHO, 15 million people are affected by stroke annually.
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‘We share 70 per cent of our genes with zebrafish. Therefore, zebrafish are hugely important for understanding processes that can lead to human disease.’
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No cell has ever been shown to develop kugeln in the past, possibly because they are easily mistaken for normal blood vessels. Kugeln contain a molecule called nitric oxide which is essential for the health of blood vessels.
Stroke is a life-threatening condition affecting more than 100,000 people in the UK each year. Some forms of stroke are caused by mutations in genes which the Sheffield researchers have shown are required to form kugeln. Although the function of kugeln is not yet fully understood, this link to genetic forms of stroke could provide new insights into neurological and cardiovascular research.
![Quiz on Stroke]( "Quiz on Stroke")
Stroke is the third leading cause of death world over. Besides, it also disables the affected people, making them completely dependent on caregivers for their daily needs. Lifestyle greatly affects the chances of developing a stroke. Thus, the incidence of stroke can be brought down to a great extent by leading a healthy lifestyle. Here is a quiz that tests if you know enough about this disabling
Elisabeth Kugler, a PhD student from the University of Sheffield's Department of Infection, Infection and Cardiovascular Disease and the main author of the study, said: "The finding of kugeln highlights the need for basic research to understand the mechanisms of development and disease.
"This study would not have been possible without an extremely strong international scientific team, underlining the significance of working across different countries."
The pioneering research was made possible thanks to state-of-the-art imaging with a revolutionary light sheet microscope (funded by the British Heart Foundation), and the ability to study vascular development using zebrafish as a model organism. The ground breaking research has been published in the journal EMBO reports.
Tim Chico, lead author of the study and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Sheffield, said: "Stroke is a devastating disease that affects millions of people and their families each year across the world.
"It is extremely exciting to discover an entirely new process that only happens in brain blood vessels, because this might explain why some mutations cause stroke but not diseases of other arteries.
"If we can discover the function of kugeln we may be able to manipulate them to reduce the effects of stroke."
The next step for researchers is to establish whether kugeln are present in human brains as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms and functions of kugeln.
Source: Eurekalert
Quiz on Stroke
Stroke is the third leading cause of death world over. Besides, it also disables the affected people, making them completely dependent on caregivers for their daily needs. Lifestyle greatly affects the chances of developing a stroke. Thus, the incidence of stroke can be brought down to a great extent by leading a healthy lifestyle. Here is a quiz that tests if you know enough about this disabling
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Elisabeth Kugler, a PhD student from the University of Sheffield's Department of Infection, Infection and Cardiovascular Disease and the main author of the study, said: "The finding of kugeln highlights the need for basic research to understand the mechanisms of development and disease.
"This study would not have been possible without an extremely strong international scientific team, underlining the significance of working across different countries."
The pioneering research was made possible thanks to state-of-the-art imaging with a revolutionary light sheet microscope (funded by the British Heart Foundation), and the ability to study vascular development using zebrafish as a model organism. The ground breaking research has been published in the journal EMBO reports.
Tim Chico, lead author of the study and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Sheffield, said: "Stroke is a devastating disease that affects millions of people and their families each year across the world.
"It is extremely exciting to discover an entirely new process that only happens in brain blood vessels, because this might explain why some mutations cause stroke but not diseases of other arteries.
"If we can discover the function of kugeln we may be able to manipulate them to reduce the effects of stroke."
The next step for researchers is to establish whether kugeln are present in human brains as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms and functions of kugeln.
Source: Eurekalert
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 Stroke - Top Ten FactsStroke is the third most common cause of death and the most prominent cause of physical deformity in the world | Advertisement
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