Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 4, 2026
09:13
Hypoxia Alters miRNAs Levels Involved in Non-Mendelian Inheritance of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Mice
Published on: July 11, 2025
26.8K
Severe Hypoxia: Consequences to Neural Stem Cells and Neurons
Hady Felfly1, Alexander C Zambon2, Jin Xue1
1Departments of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, USA.
Journal of Neurology Research
|December 19, 2013
Summary
Hypoxia negatively impacts learning and memory by down-regulating neuronal genes. It also causes a cell cycle block in neural stem cells (NSCs), potentially influencing their differentiation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Pathological brain hypoxia underlies numerous neurological diseases.
- Understanding neural stem cell (NSC) and neuron responses to hypoxia is crucial for disease treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differential effects of hypoxia on primary neurons and neural stem cells.
- To elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying cellular responses to oxygen deprivation in the brain.
Main Methods:
- Exposing mouse embryonic primary neurons (PN) and neural stem cells (NSCs) to 1% O2 in vitro.
- Utilizing microarray analysis to assess gene expression changes.
Main Results:
- Both cell types survived hypoxia with preserved markers; neurons showed no morphological changes.
- NSCs exhibited a five-fold greater number of altered gene expressions compared to PN.
- NSCs showed a G1/S cell cycle block and altered expression of growth factors and Notch pathway genes; PN downregulated neuron-specific function genes.
Conclusions:
- Hypoxia down-regulates genes critical for neuronal functions, potentially impairing learning and memory.
- Hypoxia induces a cell cycle arrest in NSCs.
- Hypoxia may precondition NSCs towards specific differentiation potentials while maintaining pluripotency.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology
54
An ischemic stroke occurs when a cerebral blood vessel becomes obstructed, most often by a thrombus or embolus, interrupting the delivery of oxygen and glucose to brain tissue. Because neurons rely on continuous aerobic metabolism, energy failure begins within minutes of reduced perfusion. The region receiving the least blood flow becomes the infarct core, an area of irreversible cellular death. Surrounding this core lies the penumbra, a zone of hypoperfused but still viable tissue that is...
54
01:25Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology
52
Early Ischemia and Ionic ImbalanceWithin minutes of spinal cord injury, a secondary cascade begins, progressing over hours to weeks. Vascular damage reduces blood flow, causing ischemia and mitochondrial dysfunction. ATP depletion leads to ion pump failure, membrane depolarization, sodium influx, potassium efflux, and water accumulation, resulting in cellular swelling. Increased intracellular calcium further disrupts mitochondria and accelerates cellular injury.Excitotoxicity and Neuronal...
52
01:23Hypoxia
2.4K
Hypoxia is a medical condition characterized by an inadequate oxygen supply to body tissues. It typically manifests as a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucosae, especially in fair-skinned individuals, when hemoglobin (Hb) saturation drops below 75%.
Types of Hypoxia
There are four primary types of hypoxia, each resulting from a different cause:
1. Anemic hypoxia: This type occurs due to insufficient oxygen delivery caused by a lack of red blood cells (RBCs) or RBCs with abnormal or...
Types of Hypoxia
There are four primary types of hypoxia, each resulting from a different cause:
1. Anemic hypoxia: This type occurs due to insufficient oxygen delivery caused by a lack of red blood cells (RBCs) or RBCs with abnormal or...
2.4K
01:00Cellular Injury I: Introduction
68
Cellular injury occurs when a cell cannot maintain homeostasis or adapt to stressors such as hypoxia, toxins, or trauma. Depending on severity and duration, injury may be reversible, allowing recovery, or irreversible, leading to cell death.General Mechanisms of Cell InjuryAlthough causes vary, most cellular injuries arise from a few key mechanisms that disrupt essential functions and often amplify one another. Cell survival depends on the extent and balance of these disturbances.ATP depletion...
68
01:15Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
2.1K
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...
2.1K