Why developing nerve cells can take a wrong turn

Loss of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme leads to impediment in growth of nerve cells / found between cellular machineries of protein degradation and regulation of the epigenetic landscape in human embryonic stem cells A group of scientists from CECAD, the Cluster of Excellence 'Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases,' have found a mechanism by which neurodevelopmental diseases concerning neurons can be explained: The loss of a certain enzyme, UBE2K, impeded the differentiation of stem cells by silencing the expression of genes important for neuronal differentiation and, therefore, the development and generation of neurons. More specifically, UBE2K regulates the levels and activation of histones, key proteins that pack and organize the DNA, regulating the expression of genes. Being part of the epigenetic landscape of the cell, the changes made to the histones are reversible and could provide a chance for future developments of treatments for neurodevelopmental diseases. The study is available in the current issue of. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can replicate indefinitely while retaining their potential to differentiate into all other types of cells. Thus, nerve cells (neurons), muscle cells and all the other cells of the body are produced in a developing organism. Errors during this process can lead to congenital diseases.