remyelination

Milena Kozlowska

brain slices float in my petri dish
swimming through saline like jellyfish
pale, glimmering, twisting and twining
tentacles trailing behind them,
alien creatures in the dark liquid

I fish them out of their quiet sea,
coaxing them onto slides
they glide against glass,
cling to thin clear sheets

with care, I arrange 
cerebelli and cortices,
brain stems and olfactory bulbs
perfectly bilateral,
like butterfly wings with their delicate patterns

under the microscope, 
the slices fluoresce
jellyfish glowing green where new myelin has grown,
wrapping around the slender fibers of neurons,
protecting them anew

in this dim, quiet room, my heart swells
this is hope:
tiny white butterfly wings on glass slides,
suffused with light

The Science

This poem is inspired by research into the regeneration of myelin in neurons. Myelin is a protective covering around the axons of neurons, which transmit electrical signals in the brain. Along with insulating axons, myelin allows these signals to travel much faster. When myelin is damaged, such as in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, the electrical signals are slowed or stopped. However, there is ongoing research into treatments that can repair or regenerate myelin. By re-coating axons with myelin, these treatments can restore function to neurons.

This poem describes a technique that can be used to measure the amount of myelin on axons. Brain tissue is cut into very thin slices, which can then be stained with colorful fluorescent dyes. Under a microscope, the dyes help to visualize structures that are otherwise difficult to see, such as proteins that signify the presence of myelin. With this method, researchers can test remyelinating treatments and visualize whether they helped restore myelin. For people affected by demyelinating disorders, this research can represent renewal and hope.

The Poet

Milena Kozlowska is a currently a student of behavioral neuroscience at Northeastern University, in Boston, MA. In her free time, she enjoys writing, reading, and painting, and she especially loves connecting science with art.

Next poem: The gull's voice this now can be heard by Mark Anthony Carr