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IPFS News Link • Biology, Botany and Zoology

Microscopic hairs act like conveyor belts in the brain

• gizmag.com

It turns out that cilia also have a vital function in the brain, where a new study shows they act like conveyor belts moving around vital molecular freight contained in cerebral fluid.

To discover the role cilia have in the brain, researchers at the Max Planck Institute focused on the third cerebral ventricle in the brains of mice in their study. This ventricle is one of four chambers in the brain, each of which is coated with specialized cells surrounded by cilia. It's found inside the hypothalamus.

"The hypothalamus is a very important control center, regulating functions like the circulatory system, body temperature, sexual behavior, food intake, and hormonal balance. To our surprise, there is a sophisticated transport system to and from the hypothalamus for distributing messenger substances via cerebral fluid," explains Max Planck's Gregor Eichele, who was involved in the research.


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