<p>I heard that all of your cells are renewed every 7 years. I also know from class that cells like nerve cells and brain cells generally don’t reproduce after a certain point. So, does the 7 year cycle not include brain cells?</p>
<p>Rabo, I'm fairly certain the your cells are renewed at pretty variable times depending on what kind of cells they are and what the state of affairs are around them.</p>
<p>Skin cells that get sloughed off and certain types of immune cells may get renewed daily. Cells in your taste buds or nasal cavity may take weeks.</p>
<p>Most cells in your central nervous system are not regenerated after a certain point, eventhough the connections between them are highly plastic and can compensate sometimes for damage. Many types of cells in your peripheral nervous system (olfactory epithelium for example) regenerate regularly by design.</p>
<p>Huge dork, I know.</p>
<p>Oh, I know that your body does not all of a sudden fall apart, die, and rebuild itself! What I heard was all your cells are different from the ones that made you up 7 years ago.</p>
<p>that's pretty interesting :) i've never heard that, but i guess it makes sense (with the exception of the CNS i suppose)</p>
<p>Yeah, you're a huge dork, but this is incredibly interesting to me, so I guess I am too. Were you a neuroscience major, dcircle, or just a bio major? (I'm going to be majoring in neuro)</p>
<p>i was a neuro major, i focussed on theoretical neuroscience and wrote my undergrad thesis with nobel laureate Leon Cooper on synaptic plasticity (the underlying neural mechanism behind learning and memory). it was one of the best experiences of my life.</p>
<p>let me know if you have any questions :)</p>
<p>Have you read this article? (memory pills)</p>
<p>Random connection: Mark Bear, the neuroscientist mentioned at the end of the article just moved to MIT from Brown. He invented Brown's famous introduction to neuroscience course and wrote the textbook as well. He also wrote his thesis with Leon Cooper.</p>