Mothers' Cells Found in Children's Brains, New Study Suggests
A new study suggests that the cells from a mother can infiltrate her child's brain while still in the womb, and these cells could potentially survive for many years. This phenomenon, known as "microchimerism," is part of a significant body of research highlighting the cell exchange that occurs between a mother and fetus during pregnancy.
How the Study Was Conducted
The research team tackled the issue of finding maternal microchimeric cells in brains, a task proving difficult due to the challenges in obtaining samples of human brain tissue and DNA from both parents and their children. To overcome this, the team examined brain tissue that had been surgically removed from children with severe epilepsy as part of their treatment. DNA samples from the mothers were collected through cheek swabs.
Using a tool known as quantitative PCR, the researchers were able to identify and count the number of maternal cells hiding among millions of cells in the children's brains. The discovery was astonishing: out of 37 mother-child pairs, 70% of the children had their mother's cells in their brains.
The Presence of Maternal Cells in Children's Brains
These maternal cells were found in various regions of the brain, including the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes as well as the hippocampus. Each sample contained, on average, around 2.2 maternal cells per 100,000. However, one sample from the hippocampus had 459 maternal cells per 100,000, and 11 children showed no evidence of maternal DNA in their brains.
Firstborn Children and Maternal Cells
Interestingly, being a firstborn child seemed to increase the likelihood of having maternal cells in the brain. Out of the children who carried their mother's cells, 14 were firstborns and 12 were later-born. In contrast, among the children who didn't have these cells, only one was a firstborn and 10 were later-born.
Transformation of Maternal Cells
Using advanced techniques, the researchers discovered that the maternal cells had transformed into several types of brain cells. It is likely that these cells were originally leukocytes and stem cells that had been transferred to the fetus via the placenta or during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Microchimeric Cells in Healthy Brains
To determine if these findings were applicable to individuals without epilepsy, the researchers analyzed autopsy data from brains of individuals with no known neurodevelopmental conditions. The researchers found foreign cells in about 78% of these individuals, suggesting that these foreign cells could indeed be maternal.
Role of Microchimeric Cells
These microchimeric cells appear to take on various roles within the brain, leading to questions about the importance of these cells in brain development and function. Given their common presence, it is suspected that these cells play a significant role in the brain's health and development. This makes understanding their function crucial for gaining a better understanding of healthy brain development.
Looking Forward
While this study pushes the boundaries of previous research, future studies would benefit from larger and more uniform datasets. This would involve obtaining more brain biopsies, analyzing more cells from each sample, collecting specimens at different ages, and sampling similar brain regions across individuals to better compare the results.
A new study suggests that the cells from a mother can infiltrate her child's brain while still in the womb, and these cells could potentially survive for many years. This phenomenon, known as "microchimerism," is part of a significant body of research highlighting the cell exchange that occurs between a mother and fetus during pregnancy.
How the Study Was Conducted
The research team tackled the issue of finding maternal microchimeric cells in brains, a task proving difficult due to the challenges in obtaining samples of human brain tissue and DNA from both parents and their children. To overcome this, the team examined brain tissue that had been surgically removed from children with severe epilepsy as part of their treatment. DNA samples from the mothers were collected through cheek swabs.
Using a tool known as quantitative PCR, the researchers were able to identify and count the number of maternal cells hiding among millions of cells in the children's brains. The discovery was astonishing: out of 37 mother-child pairs, 70% of the children had their mother's cells in their brains.
The Presence of Maternal Cells in Children's Brains
These maternal cells were found in various regions of the brain, including the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes as well as the hippocampus. Each sample contained, on average, around 2.2 maternal cells per 100,000. However, one sample from the hippocampus had 459 maternal cells per 100,000, and 11 children showed no evidence of maternal DNA in their brains.
Firstborn Children and Maternal Cells
Interestingly, being a firstborn child seemed to increase the likelihood of having maternal cells in the brain. Out of the children who carried their mother's cells, 14 were firstborns and 12 were later-born. In contrast, among the children who didn't have these cells, only one was a firstborn and 10 were later-born.
Transformation of Maternal Cells
Using advanced techniques, the researchers discovered that the maternal cells had transformed into several types of brain cells. It is likely that these cells were originally leukocytes and stem cells that had been transferred to the fetus via the placenta or during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Microchimeric Cells in Healthy Brains
To determine if these findings were applicable to individuals without epilepsy, the researchers analyzed autopsy data from brains of individuals with no known neurodevelopmental conditions. The researchers found foreign cells in about 78% of these individuals, suggesting that these foreign cells could indeed be maternal.
Role of Microchimeric Cells
These microchimeric cells appear to take on various roles within the brain, leading to questions about the importance of these cells in brain development and function. Given their common presence, it is suspected that these cells play a significant role in the brain's health and development. This makes understanding their function crucial for gaining a better understanding of healthy brain development.
Looking Forward
While this study pushes the boundaries of previous research, future studies would benefit from larger and more uniform datasets. This would involve obtaining more brain biopsies, analyzing more cells from each sample, collecting specimens at different ages, and sampling similar brain regions across individuals to better compare the results.