Unique astrocyte ribbon in adult human brain contains neural stem cells but lacks chain migration

Authors

Hader Sanai, University of California, San FranciscoFollow
Anthony D. Tramontin, University of California, San Francisco
Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, University of California, San Francisco
Nicholas M. Barbaro, University of California, San Francisco
Halin Gupta, University of California, San Francisco
Sandeep Kunwar, University of California, San Francisco
Michael T. Lawton, University of California, San FranciscoFollow
Michael W. McDermott, University of California, San Francisco
Andrew T. Parsa, University of California, San Francisco
José Manuel Garcia Verdugo, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversitat y Biología Evolutiva
Mitchel S. Berger, University of California, San Francisco
Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, University of California, San FranciscoFollow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The subventricular zone (SVZ) is a principal source of adult neural stem cells in the rodent brain, generating thousands of olfactory bulb neurons every day. If the adult human brain contains a comparable germinal region, this could have considerable implications for future neuroregenerative therapy. Stem cells have been isolated from the human brain, but the identity, organization and function of adult neural stem cells in the human SVZ are unknown. Here we describe a ribbon of SVZ astrocytes lining the lateral ventricles of the adult human brain that proliferate in vivo and behave as multipotent progenitor cells in vitro. This astrocytic ribbon has not been observed in other vertebrates studied. Unexpectedly, we find no evidence of chains of migrating neuroblasts in the SVZ or in the pathway to the olfactory bulb. Our work identifies SVZ astrocytes as neural stem cells in a niche of unique organization in the adult human brain.

Publication Date

2-19-2004

Publication Title

Nature

ISSN

00280836

Volume

427

Issue

6976

First Page

740

Last Page

744

PubMed ID

14973487

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/nature02301

Recommended Citation

Sanai, Hader; Tramontin, Anthony D.; Quiñones-Hinojosa, Alfredo; Barbaro, Nicholas M.; Gupta, Halin; Kunwar, Sandeep; Lawton, Michael T.; McDermott, Michael W.; Parsa, Andrew T.; Verdugo, José Manuel Garcia; Berger, Mitchel S.; and Alvarez-Buylla, Arturo, "Unique astrocyte ribbon in adult human brain contains neural stem cells but lacks chain migration" (2004). Neurosurgery. 877.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurosurgery/877