A Potential ‘Missing Link’ Between the Brain and Immune System
5:34 minutes
Scientists have long thought that the brain is the one major organ without a direct connection to the lymphatic system. Reporting in Nature, researchers working in mice discovered potential lymphatic vessels in the membrane covering the brain. Neuroscientist Jonathan Kipnis, a co-author on the paper, discusses the implications for how we study Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological diseases.
Segment Guests
Jonathan Kipnis
Jonathan Kipnis is a neuroscience professor and director of the Center for Brain Immunology and Glia at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Meet the Producer
About Alexa Lim
@AlexaLim22Alexa Lim was a senior producer for Science Friday. Her favorite stories involve space, sound, and strange animal discoveries.