title: No evidence for new dopaminergic neurons in the adult mammalian substantia nigra.
abstract: A recent report by Zhao et al. [Zhao, M., Momma, S., Delfani, K., Carlen, M., Cassidy, R. M., Johansson, C. B., Brismar, H., Shupliakov, O., Frisen, J. & Janson, A. M. (2003) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100, 7925-7930] suggests that dopaminergic neurons, the cell type lost in Parkinson's disease, are continuously generated in the adult substantia nigra pars compacta. Using similar methodological procedures to label dividing cells, we found no evidence of new dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, either in normal or 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned hemi-Parkinsonian rodents, or even after growth factor treatment. Furthermore, we found no evidence of neural stem cells emanating from the cerebroventricular system and migrating to the substantia nigra. We conclude that it is unlikely that dopaminergic neurons are generated in the adult mammalian substantia nigra.
authors.affiliation: Section for Neuronal Survival, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, BMC A-10, Lund University, SE-221 84 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frielingsdorf
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brundin
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mohapel
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000502:physiology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D004298:Dopamine