title: Lifespan of neurons is uncoupled from organismal lifespan.
abstract: Neurons in mammals do not undergo replicative aging, and, in absence of pathologic conditions, their lifespan is limited only by the maximum lifespan of the organism. Whether neuronal lifespan is determined by the strain-specific lifetime or can be extended beyond this limit is unknown. Here, we transplanted embryonic mouse cerebellar precursors into the developing brain of the longer-living Wistar rats. The donor cells integrated into the rat cerebellum developing into mature neurons while retaining mouse-specific morphometric traits. In their new environment, the grafted mouse neurons did not die at or before the maximum lifespan of their strain of origin but survived as long as 36 mo, doubling the average lifespan of the donor mice. Thus, the lifespan of neurons is not limited by the maximum lifespan of the donor organism, but continues when transplanted in a longer-living host.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Clinico-Chirurgiche Diagnostiche e Pediatriche, University of Pavia Fondazione Istituto di Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy. l.magrassi@smatteo.pv.it
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Magrassi
authors: Ketty
authors: K
authors: Leto
authors: Ferdinando
authors: F
authors: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000637:transplantation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013045:Species Specificity