Neurogenesis as a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases.
In the adult mammalian brain, new neurons are continuously generated from a proliferating population of neural progenitor/stem cells and become incorporated into the existing neuronal circuitry via a process termed adult neurogenesis. The existence of active functional adult neurogenesis raises the exciting possibility that manipulating endogenous neural progenitors, or transplanting the progeny of exogenously expanded neural progenitors, may lead to successful cell replacement therapies for various degenerative neurological diseases. Significant effort is being made to decipher the mechanisms regulating adult neurogenesis, which may allow us to translate this endogenous neuronal replacement system into therapeutic interventions for neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on adult neurogenesis as a strategy to derive potential therapies, and discusses future directions in the field.
Sailor
Kurt A
KA
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute for Cell Engineering, Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, 733 N. Broadway, BRB731, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Ming
Guo-Li
GL
Song
Hongjun
H
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009462:Neurology / Q000639:trends; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000639:trends