Tuberous sclerosis caused by cells unique to humans
The complex process of human brain development plays an overlooked role in the manifestation of tuberous sclerosis, which leads to multiple noncancerous growths, previously thought to be solely due to genetic mutation.
Breakthrough research in cerebral organoids from Jürgen Knoblich’s lab at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Vienna, Austria), has identified a cell type unique to human brains that is fundamental in the development of tuberous sclerosis. The findings dispute the current understanding that tuberous sclerosis is exclusively attributed to genetic mutation.
