News Neuroscience

Like brain cells, kidney cells can form memories

Scientists found memory’s molecular machinery at work in cells outside the nervous system

Electron micrograph image of human kidney cells.

Human embryonic kidney cells (seen in this false-color scanning electron micrograph) share some of the same molecular mechanisms as memory-forming neurons.

David McCarthy/Science Source

By Andrea Tamayo

Kidney cells can make memories too. At least, in a molecular sense.

Neurons have historically been the cell most associated with memory. But far outside the brain, kidney cells can also store information and recognize patterns in a similar way to neurons, researchers report November 7 in Nature Communications.