An international research team led by the Italian National Research Council (Cnr-Isof) and Boston University has developed an innovative, label-free technique to study astrocytes, star-shaped brain cells essential for maintaining brain homeostasis.
Published in Advanced Science, the study identified a distinct protein “fingerprint” that distinguishes healthy, differentiated astrocytes from non-differentiated or diseased ones. Using time-resolved multispectral infrared photothermal microscopy, researchers were able to analyze the chemical, structural, and functional properties of astrocyte proteins without disrupting their natural physiological state.
The research focused on astrocytic microdomains: micrometer-scale cellular protrusions involved in regulating ion and water balance and in communication with neurons and blood vessels. Structural and chemical alterations in these microdomains are linked to several neurological disorders, yet they have been difficult to investigate with conventional methods.
This breakthrough provides a powerful new tool for studying brain health, understanding neurological diseases, and advancing predictive and translational neuroscience.
The work included the contributions from the Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology, and Environment of the University of Bari and the FaBit department of the University of Bologna. It was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Biophysics Program (ASTROLIGHT and ASTROTALK), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR-Ecosister) and NEXTGENERATIONEU (NGEU) PRIN-PNRR. The study is part of the strategic activities of the “Advanced Materials, Nanomaterials, and Biophysics” working group of the Italy-US Joint Commission for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the US Department of State, led by Dr. Luigi Ambrosio (CNR) and Sofi Bin-Salamon (US-AFOSR)
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