Adult periventricular neural stem cells: Outstanding progress and outstanding issues

Abstract

Twenty years have past since the existence of neural stem cells (NSCs) within the walls of the adult lateral ventricles was discovered. During this period of time, great strides have been made in every facet of our understanding of this adult periventricular NSC population. In this review, some of the fields' major advancements regarding the nature and function of adult periventricular NSCs are examined. We bring attention to issues related to NSC identity, potential, and the role of Notch signaling in regulating quiescence and activation that warrant further investigation. Progress in the understanding of human adult NSCs will aid in the development of tools required to advance therapies not only for brain repair after injury or disease but may also lead to novel therapeutics for brain tumors.

Insulin-like Growth Factor II: An Essential Adult Stem Cell Niche Constituent in Brain and Intestine

“…Stem cells have long been of interest to developmental biologists; however, these cells have now gained the interest of the broader scientific community because of their potential to repair degenerating tissues. For example, neural stem cells (NSCs) and the new neurons that they produce are now recognized as necessary for learning and memory, for promoting cognitive function, and for their potential to replace neurons and glial cells lost as a consequence of brain injury or disease (Chojnacki et al., 2012, Lim and Alvarez-Buylla, 2014, Zhao et al., 2008). Similarly, adult intestinal stem cells (ISCs), which reside at the bottom of the crypt of Lieberkühn, constantly replenish the epithelial sheet for a lifespan, contributing to tissue homeostasis as well as mucosal regeneration after injury (Tetteh et al., 2014).…”