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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
10:25
Real-time Bioluminescence Imaging of Notch Signaling Dynamics during Murine Neurogenesis
Published on: December 12, 2019
Notch as a molecular switch in neural stem cells.
Zhi-Dong Zhou1, Udhaya Kumari, Zhi-Cheng Xiao
1National Neuroscience Institute, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore.
IUBMB Life
|August 4, 2010
Summary
The Notch signaling pathway regulates neural stem cell (NSC) functions. It promotes gliogenesis, inhibits neurogenesis, and supports NSC self-renewal, impacting stem cell biology.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The Notch signaling pathway is a conserved cell-cell communication mechanism.
- It influences fundamental cellular processes like proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.
- Emerging evidence highlights its critical role in neural stem cell (NSC) biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the multifaceted roles of the Notch signaling pathway in neural stem cell biology.
- To elucidate the mechanisms governing Notch's influence on gliogenesis, neurogenesis, and self-renewal.
- To consolidate current understanding of Notch in neural stem cell regulation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of in vivo and in vitro studies.
- Analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying Notch pathway functions.
- Synthesis of data on Notch's impact on NSC behavior.
Main Results:
- Notch signaling promotes gliogenesis (the formation of glial cells).
- It inhibits premature neurogenesis (the formation of neurons).
- The pathway is integral to maintaining NSC self-renewal capacity.
Conclusions:
- The Notch signaling pathway is a key regulator of neural stem cell fate.
- Understanding Notch mechanisms is crucial for neural development and regeneration research.
- Targeting Notch signaling may offer therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders.
Related Concept Videos
03:14Notch Signaling Pathway
The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
03:14Notch Signaling Pathway
The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
01:26Stem Cell Niche
The stem cell niche is the dynamic microenvironment where stem cells reside. Inside these niches, the cells may remain undifferentiated, undergo high self-renewal, or become lineage-specific progenitors. Stem cells coexist with other niche cells, such as stromal cells. They also interact closely with the ECM. Cell-cell and cell-matrix communication occur via adhesion molecules or soluble factors that signal the stem cells and determine their fate. Stromal cells also provide survival signals to...
01:06Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell
A hair follicle or HF is a small part of the skin that produces the hair shaft. Paul Gerson Unna was the first to observe a bulge in the human hair follicle's outer root sheath (ORS). The bulge is present between the sebaceous gland and the arrector pili muscle and is the niche for hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). The bulge is also a niche for melanocyte stem cells, and their loss results in graying of hair. The HFSCs express Sox9 and Lhx2, which help them maintain stemness and prevent...
01:51Determination
During embryogenesis, cells become progressively committed to different fates through a two-step process: specification followed by determination. Specification is demonstrated by removing a segment of an early embryo, “neutrally” culturing the tissue in vitro—for example, in a petri dish with simple medium—and then observing the derivatives. If the cultured region gives rise to cell types that it would normally generate in the embryo, this means that it is specified. In contrast, determination...