title: Postnatal NG2 proteoglycan-expressing progenitor cells are intrinsically multipotent and generate functional neurons.
abstract: Neurogenesis is known to persist in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS). The identity of the cells that generate new neurons in the postnatal CNS has become a crucial but elusive issue. Using a transgenic mouse, we show that NG2 proteoglycan-positive progenitor cells that express the 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase gene display a multipotent phenotype in vitro and generate electrically excitable neurons, as well as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The fast kinetics and the high rate of multipotent fate of these NG2+ progenitors in vitro reflect an intrinsic property, rather than reprogramming. We demonstrate in the hippocampus in vivo that a sizeable fraction of postnatal NG2+ progenitor cells are proliferative precursors whose progeny appears to differentiate into GABAergic neurons capable of propagating action potentials and displaying functional synaptic inputs. These data show that at least a subpopulation of postnatal NG2-expressing cells are CNS multipotent precursors that may underlie adult hippocampal neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010-2970, USA.
authors.forename: Shibeshih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belachew
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chittajallu
authors.forename: Adan A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.forename: Stacie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gallo
mesh_terms: D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000941:Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D023421:Models, Animal; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4
chemical_list: D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases; D000941:Antigens; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4; C577485:Nes protein, mouse