Why neural stem cells may be vulnerable to Zika infection
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 - 13:50
in Biology & Nature
Zika's hypothesized attraction to human neural stem cells may come from its ability to hijack a protein found on the surface of these cells, using it as an entryway to infection. Researchers show that the AXL surface receptor, normally involved in cell division, is highly abundant on the surface of neural stem cells, but not on neurons in the developing brain.