Cell death in the nervous system articles from across Nature Portfolio

Simultaneously quantifying mitochondrial Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺ levels is vital for understanding the molecular mechanism of mitochondria-related biological events. Here the authors report an alkynyl-labeled SERS probe to simultaneously monitor free Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺ in mitochondria, and unveil their roles during ischemia and cuproptosis processes.

Selective vulnerability of particular neuronal cell types is a characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases. Martin Kampmann explores our current understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to selective vulnerability in different diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, are linked to the accumulation of defective mitochondria in the brain and to microbial dysbiosis in the gut. However, the interplay between these factors is incompletely understood. Fedele et al. reveal how gut mitochondrial dysfunction activates intestinal inflammation to drive neurodegeneration in a Parkinson’s disease model.

In neurodegenerative diseases, certain types of neurons perish first, but the mechanisms of this selective neuronal vulnerability remain unclear. A new study now highlights a crucial role for apolipoprotein E in driving neuronal death in both ageing and Alzheimer’s disease.