Realistic computer models of brain cells
Published in Numerical Simulations.
Investigators have created the most bio-realistic and complex computer models of individual brain cells — in unparalleled quantity. Their research details how these models could one day answer questions about neurological disorders — and even human intellect — that aren’t possible to explore through biological experiments.
Cedars-Sinai investigators have created the most bio-realistic and complex computer models of individual brain cells — in unparalleled quantity. Their research, published today in the peer-reviewed journal Cell Reports, details how these models could one day answer questions about neurological disorders — and even human intellect — that aren’t possible to explore through biological experiments.
“These models capture the shape, timing and speed of the electrical signals that neurons fire in order to communicate with each other, which is considered the basis of brain function,” said Costas Anastassiou, PhD, a research scientist in the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai, and senior author of the study. “This lets us replicate brain activity at the single-cell level.”
The models are the first to combine data sets from different types of laboratory experiments to present a complete picture of the electrical, genetic and biological activity of single neurons. The models can be used to test theories that would require dozens of experiments to examine in the lab, Anastassiou said.
“Imagine that you wanted to investigate how 50 different genes affect a cell’s biological processes,” Anastassiou said. “You would need to create a separate experiment to ‘knock out’ each gene and see what happens. With our computational models, we will be able to change the recipes of these gene markers for as many genes as we like and predict what will happen.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220809141159.htm