2009 ABSTRACTS - Universität Leipzig

stem cell therapies for neurological disorders
7 Regenerating the brain with endogenous stem
cells
Verdon Taylor, Onur Basak, Claudio Giachino, Philip
Knuckles
The brains of adult mammals contain stem cells that continuously generate neurons throughout
life. The identity of these stem cells and most of the mechanisms regulating their fate are
unresolved. Although cells with stem cell properties can be isolated from the embryonic
and adult brain, and expanded endlessly in vitro, it is unclear what potential these cells
really possess. Transplantation into the postnatal brains of host animals results in extensive
gliogenesis and limited or no neurogenesis, even in lesions. Here we will discuss genetic
evidence for the identity of adult neural stem cells and that the Notch signaling pathway is
critical for neurogenic and regenerative stem cells in the adult brain. In addition, we will
present evidence that adult derived neural stem cells, expanded in vitro retain multipotent
potential when transplanted into the brain, opening up the potential use of these cells for
identifying differentiation cues to generate defined neuronal cell types and thus for human
therapy.
Dr. Verdon Taylor
Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology Freiburg
Department of Molecular Embryology
taylor@immunbio.mpg.de
www.mpg.de
49