Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026
09:51
Assessing Cell Cycle Progression of Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells in the Mouse Developing Brain after Genotoxic Stress
Published on: May 7, 2014
Neural stem and progenitor cells shorten S-phase on commitment to neuron production
Yoko Arai1, Jeremy N Pulvers, Christiane Haffner
1Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
Nature Communications
|January 13, 2011
Summary
Neural stem and progenitor cells lengthen their cell cycle G1-phase during brain development. Expanding progenitors spend more time in S-phase for DNA quality control before committing to neuron production.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cell cycle regulation is crucial for mammalian cerebral cortex development.
- Lengthening of the G1-phase of the cell cycle is observed, but the specific neural stem and progenitor cells affected remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for determining cell-cycle parameters in specific neural stem and progenitor cell classes.
- To identify which neural progenitor populations exhibit G1-phase lengthening during cerebral cortex development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized molecular markers to classify neural stem and progenitor cells, rather than relying on their location.
- Measured cell-cycle parameters, including G1 and S-phase duration, in distinct progenitor populations.
- Performed comparative genome-wide gene expression analysis.
Main Results:
- G1-phase lengthening is associated with the transition from apical progenitors to basal progenitors.
- Expanding apical and basal progenitors have a significantly longer S-phase compared to committed progenitors.
- Gene expression analysis revealed alterations in cell-cycle regulation, DNA replication/repair, and chromatin remodeling factors.
Conclusions:
- Expanding neural stem and progenitor cells allocate more S-phase time to DNA quality control compared to progenitors committed to neuron production.
- These findings provide new insights into the cell-cycle regulation strategies during mammalian brain development.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:21Lineage Commitment
Commitment is the process whereby stem cells:
01:15Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
In the CNS, neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons from stem cells, is limited to the hippocampus in adults. In other regions of the brain and spinal cord, neurogenesis is almost non-existent due to inhibitory influences from neuroglia, especially oligodendrocytes, and the absence of growth-stimulating cues. The myelin produced by oligodendrocytes in the CNS inhibits neuronal regeneration. Furthermore, astrocytes proliferate rapidly after neuronal damage, forming scar tissue that physically...
02:36Cells Coordinate Growth and Proliferation
Cell size is a significant factor impacting cellular design, function, and fitness. There exists some internal coordination by which cells double their masses before division, thus, achieving homeostasis. Coordination between cell growth and proliferation depends on the checkpoints in between cell cycle phases. Loss of coordination or failure in the checkpoint mechanism can drive the cell to uncontrolled growth and loss of cellular function. Like dividing cells that coordinate cellular growth,...
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...