According to S.M. Pollard and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh, they have recently reported the generation of adherent, symmetrically expandable, neural stem (NS) cell lines derived both from mouse and human embryonic stem cells and from fetal forebrain.

These NS cells retain neuronal and glial differentiation potential after prolonged passaging and are transplantable. NS cells are likely to comprise the resident stem cell population within heterogeneous neurosphere cultures.

Stable in vitro propagation of central nervous system (CNS) stem cells would offer expanded opportunities to dissect basic molecular, cellular, and developmental processes and to model neurodegenerative disease.

“CNS stem cells could also provide a source of material for drug discovery assays and cell replacement therapies”, wrote investigators in the journal Cerebral Cortex.

Researchers have demonstrate that similar NS cell cultures can be established from the adult mouse brain. They also characterize the growth factor requirements for NS cell derivation and self-renewal.

Pollard and colleagues published their study in Cerebral Cortex (Adherent neural stem (NS) cells from fetal and adult forebrain. Cereb Cortex, 2006;16(Suppl. 1):I112-I120).

For additional information, contact S.M. Pollard, University of Edinburgh, School Biology Science, Institute Stem Cell Research, Center Development Stem Cell Biology, Kings Bldg, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ, Midlothian, Scotland.

The publisher’s contact information for the journal Cerebral Cortex is: Oxford University Press Inc., Journals Dept., 2001 Evans Rd., Cary, NC 27513, USA.

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