Adult neural stem cells, neurogenic niches, and cellular therapy

Niches are specialized microenvironments that regulate stem cells activity. In the nervous system, during development, niches control neural stem cells (NSCs) maturation and the formation of the neuronal network. In the adult, neurogenesis occurs in discrete areas of the brain, the subventricular zone and the hippocampus, where neurogenic niches have been identified and characterized. These niches, an angiogenic and an astroglial niche, control NSCs self-renewal and differentiation. Although the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the interactions between NSCs and their environment remain to be elucidated, neurogenic niches share similar developmentally conserved pathways with other niches. It is hypothesized that neurogenic niches underlie the properties and functions of NSCs in the adult central nervous system. Hence, neurogenic niches may not only hold the key to our understanding of neurogenesis in the adult brain, but also of the developmental potential of adult NSCs, and their potential for cellular therapy.