Meningiomas may start in the outer layer of the brain's covering
Original title: Cell atlas of the developing human meninges reveals a dura-like nature of meningiomas.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done on cells in a lab, not in people. It is a very early step.
This was lab work on cells and tissue, not a treatment tested in people.
The short version
Scientists found that meningioma cells look most like cells from the dura, the tough outer layer that wraps the brain.
What was studied. Researchers built a detailed map of the cells in the meninges, the layers that cover the brain and spinal cord. They used human fetal tissue from weeks 5-13 after conception, then compared those cells with meningioma tumor cells.
What they found. The three meningeal layers grew at the same time, not one after the other. The team found an inner dura layer with cells that appear to act as a barrier. Meningioma cells looked like dura cells, and genes that often drive these tumors were switched on in the dura line of cells.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Doctors have long thought meningiomas start in the arachnoid layer. This work points to the dura instead. Knowing the real starting point could help researchers look for drugs for tumors that surgery and radiation cannot control.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean there is a new treatment. It is lab work on cells and tissue, not a test in patients. The authors call it a hypothesis, which means an idea that still has to be proven. Nothing here changes care today, and it is not a cure.
Source: PubMed, September 28, 2026 · Read the original
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