title: Adrenal cortical and chromaffin stem cells: Is there a common progeny related to stress adaptation?
abstract: The adrenal gland is a highly plastic organ with the capacity to adapt the body homeostasis to different physiological needs. The existence of stem-like cells in the adrenal cortex has been revealed in many studies. Recently, we identified and characterized in mice a pool of glia-like multipotent Nestin-expressing progenitor cells, which contributes to the plasticity of the adrenal medulla. In addition, we found that these Nestin progenitors are actively involved in the stress response by giving rise to chromaffin cells. Interestingly, we also observed a Nestin-GFP-positive cell population located under the adrenal capsule and scattered through the cortex. In this article, we discuss the possibility of a common progenitor giving rise to subpopulations of cells both in the adrenal cortex and medulla, the isolation and characterization of this progenitor as well as its clinical potential in transplantation therapies and in pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. Electronic address: charlotte.steenblock@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Steenblock
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rubin de Celis
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering and Modelling (STEM), Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Androutsellis-Theotokis
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sue
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Luis F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Delgadillo Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eisenhofer
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Craniofacial Development and Stem Cell Biology, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Andoniadou
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Stefan R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bornstein
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D019439:Chromaffin Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological
keywords: Adrenal cortex; Adrenal medulla; Nestin; Progenitors; Stem cells; Stress