Notch and the birth of glial cells.
Notch receptors play crucial roles in many cellular differentiation programs. In addition to a more classical role for Notch in keeping cells in an undifferentiated state, a recent paper has provided clear evidence that Notch signaling is a powerful means of turning adult CNS precursor cells into astrocytes. This work, combined with other reports from the developing CNS, retina and the PNS, demonstrates a role for Notch in gliogenesis. These findings can also be linked to novel insights into the function of proneural basic helix-loop-helix proteins in astrocytic differentiation.
Lundkvist
J
J
Dept. of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Nobel Institute, Karolinska Institute, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
Lendahl
U
U
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch