Isolation, characterization and utilization of CNS stem cells

This volume is based on a meeting of the Fondation IPSEN, held in Paris on September 18, 1995, focusing on the biology of nervous system stem cells. Unlike other tissues, the nervous system has a limited ability to replace damaged cells. Most neurons in the adult central nervous system are terminally differentiated and do not regenerate. However, some regions of the postnatal brain, such as the adult hippocampus, continue to produce new neurons. The fate and longevity of these newly formed cells are not well understood. Evidence suggests that small populations of neurons are generated in the adult ventricular zone, olfactory epithelium, and hippocampus. In the adult hippocampus, new neurons arise from putative stem cells in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, differentiating into neurons within a month. This neurogenesis persists throughout the rodent's adult life. By investigating the nature of progenitor cells in both embryonic and adult brains, along with their developmental dynamics and the factors influencing their proliferation and differentiation, there is potential to devise strategies for manipulating these cells to treat neurodegenerative diseases or repair the injured adult brain.