Significance of birth in the maintenance of quiescent neural stem cells

Birth is one of the most important life events for animals. However, its significance in the developmental process is not fully understood. Here, we found that birth-induced alteration of glutamine metabolism in radial glia (RG), the embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs), is required for the acquisition of quiescence and long-term maintenance of postnatal NSCs. Preterm birth impairs this cellular process, leading to transient hyperactivation of RG. Consequently, in the postnatal brain, the NSC pool is depleted and neurogenesis is decreased. We also found that the maintenance of quiescent RG after preterm birth improves postnatal neurogenesis. This study demonstrates the significance of birth in the maintenance of quiescent NSCs.