A niche-defying feat: induced oligoneogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus.
In a recent paper in Nature Neuroscience, Jessberger et al. (2008) report that overexpression of ASCL1 (mash1) directs adult hippocampal progenitors to adopt an oligodendrocytic fate. The effect is specific to the hippocampal niche in vivo, indicating that cell-autonomous and niche-defined factors collaborate to instruct cell fate choices.
Goldman
Steven A
SA
Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14580, USA. steven_goldman@urmc.rochester.edu
Natesan
Sridaran
S
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D038081:Organogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D055153:Stem Cell Niche; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics*
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; C065500:ASCL1 protein, human