Signaling cascade that repairs damaged nerve cells characterized

Through a study of roundworm nerve cells with severed axons, researchers showed that a signaling cascade that normally functions in promoting the phagocytosis of apoptotic cells also acts in inducing axon regeneration. The findings shed light on a fundamental feature of nerve repair, which is limited in the central nervous system in humans, and thus could pave the way towards treatments for brain and spinal cord injuries.