PuSH - Publication Server of Helmholtz Zentrum München

Dimou, L. ; Götz, M.

Glial cells as progenitors and stem cells: New roles in the healthy and diseased brain.

Physiol. Rev. 94, 709-737 (2014)
DOI PMC
Open Access Green as soon as Postprint is submitted to ZB.
The diverse functions of glial cells prompt the question to which extent specific subtypes may be devoted to a specific function. We discuss this by reviewing one of the most recently discovered roles of glial cells, their function as neural stem cells (NSCs) and progenitor cells. First we give an overview of glial stem and progenitor cells during development; these are the radial glial cells that act as NSCs and other glial progenitors, highlighting the distinction between the lineage of cells in vivo and their potential when exposed to a different environment, e.g., in vitro. We then proceed to the adult stage and discuss the glial cells that continue to act as NSCs across vertebrates and others that are more lineage-restricted, such as the adult NG2-glia, the most frequent progenitor type in the adult mammalian brain, that remain within the oligodendrocyte lineage. Upon certain injury conditions, a distinct subset of quiescent astrocytes reactivates proliferation and a larger potential, clearly demonstrating the concept of heterogeneity with distinct subtypes of, e.g., astrocytes or NG2-glia performing rather different roles after brain injury. These new insights not only highlight the importance of glial cells for brain repair but also their great potential in various aspects of regeneration.
Altmetric
Additional Metrics?
[➜Log in]
Edit extra informations Login
Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Review
Corresponding Author
Keywords Central-nervous-system; Spinal-cord-injury; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells; Subcortical White-matter; Adult Human Brain; Pdgf Alpha-receptor; Chondroitin-sulfate Proteoglycan; Neural Stem/progenitor Cells; Multiple-sclerosis Lesions; Transcription Factor Olig2
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0031-9333
e-ISSN 1522-1210
Journal Physiological Reviews
Quellenangaben Volume: 94, Issue: 3, Pages: 709-737 Article Number: , Supplement: ,
Publisher American Physiological Society
Publishing Place Bethesda
Non-patent literature Publications
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Institute(s) Institute of Stem Cell Research (ISF)