Research report 2007 - Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence (Martinsried site)
The Achilles heel of nerve cells
Authors
Mathey, Emily; Derfuss, Tobias; Storch, Maria; Williams, Kieran; Hales, Kimberly; Woolley, David; Al-Hayani, Abdulmonem; Davies, Stephen; Rasband, Matthew; Olsson, Tomas; Moldenhauer, Anja; Velhin, Sviataslau; Hohlfeld, Reinhard; Meinl, Edgar; Linington, Christopher
Departments
Klinische Neuroimmunologie (Hohlfeld, Abteilung Neuroimmunologie) (Prof. Dr. Hartmut Wekerle)
MPI für Neurobiologie, Martinsried
Neuroimmunologie (Wekerle) (Prof. Dr. Hartmut Wekerle)
MPI für Neurobiologie, Martinsried
Summary
The function of the immune system is to defend against intruders such as viruses and bacteria. In case of Multiple Sclerosis, however, the immune system attacks the central nervous system. A newly found mechanism of this disease now reveals how the immune system’s antibodies can attack nerve cells directly. The results could lead to new therapy approaches for some patients.