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Published on: September 12, 2012
Cell migration in the normal and pathological postnatal mammalian brain
Myriam Cayre1, Peter Canoll, James E Goldman
1Institut de Biologie du Developpement de Marseille Luminy (IBDML), Parc scientifique de Luminy, case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France. cayre@ibdml.univ-mrs.fr
Progress in Neurobiology
|May 12, 2009
Summary
Neural cell migration is vital for brain development and plasticity. This review synthesizes information on mature brain cell migration, including its role in neurogenesis, gliomas, and repair after injury.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Neural cell migration is fundamental for brain development, ensuring proper formation of neuronal and glial networks.
- While the brain is structurally formed early postnatally, plasticity, including cell migration, persists throughout life.
- The subventricular zone and dentate gyrus are key adult neurogenic niches, generating progenitors that migrate to specific brain regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize current knowledge on the organization, regulation, and function of cell migration in the mature brain.
- To explore the parallels between normal neural progenitor cell migration and glioma cell infiltration.
- To examine the role of cell migration in response to brain injury and neurological diseases, and its therapeutic potential.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing existing research on neural cell migration.
- Analysis of molecular mechanisms regulating progenitor cell movement, including cell-cell interactions and chemoattraction/repulsion.
- Examination of pathological conditions like gliomas and neurological diseases in the context of cell migration.
Main Results:
- Normal neural progenitor migration is orchestrated by cell adhesion molecules and secreted signaling factors.
- Glioma cell infiltration shares mechanisms with glial progenitor migration, suggesting therapeutic targets.
- Brain injury and disease can activate endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells, with inflammation potentially promoting their recruitment.
Conclusions:
- Understanding neural cell migration in the mature brain is critical for addressing developmental disorders, brain tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Modulating cell migration pathways, potentially by leveraging inflammatory responses, offers promising therapeutic strategies for brain repair.
- Mobilizing endogenous progenitor cells presents a potential avenue for functional recovery following brain damage.
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