title: In vitro and in vivo characterization of neural stem cells.
abstract: Neural stem cells are defined as clonogenic cells with self-renewal capacity and the ability to generate all neural lineages (multipotentiality). Cells with these characteristics have been isolated from the embryonic and adult central nervous system. Under specific conditions, these cells can differentiate into neurons, glia, and non-neural cell types, or proliferate in long-term cultures as cell clusters termed "neurospheres". These cultures represent a useful model for neurodevelopmental studies and a potential cell source for cell replacement therapy. Because no specific markers are available to unequivocally identify neural stem cells, their functional characteristics (self-renewal and multipotentiality) provide the main features for their identification. Here, we review the experimental and ultrastructural studies aimed at identifying the morphological characteristics and the antigenic markers of neural stem cells for their in vitro and in vivo identification.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. eulalia.bazan@hrc.es
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bazán
authors.forename: F J M
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Redondo
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: López-Toledano
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Alfaro
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reimers
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Herranz
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Paíno
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cobacho
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caso
authors.forename: M-V T
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Lobo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D064231:Nestin; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006133:Growth Substances; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin