title: The vasculature as a neural stem cell niche.
abstract: Neural stem cells (NSCs) are multipotent, self-renewing progenitors that generate progeny that differentiate into neurons and glia. NSCs in the adult mammalian brain are generally quiescent. Environmental stimuli such as learning or exercise can activate quiescent NSCs, inducing them to proliferate and produce new neurons and glia. How are these behaviours coordinated? The neurovasculature, the circulatory system of the brain, is a key component of the NSC microenvironment, or 'niche'. Instructive signals from the neurovasculature direct NSC quiescence, proliferation, self-renewal and differentiation. During ageing, a breakdown in the niche accompanies NSC dysfunction and cognitive decline. There is much interest in reversing these changes and enhancing NSC activity by targeting the neurovasculature therapeutically. Here we discuss principles of neurovasculature-NSC crosstalk, and the implications for the design of NSC-based therapies. We also consider the emerging contributions to this field of the model organism Drosophila melanogaster.
authors.affiliation: The Gurdon Institute, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Otsuki
authors.affiliation: The Gurdon Institute, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom. Electronic address: a.brand@gurdon.cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andrea H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D006801:Humans; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D055153:Stem Cell Niche / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Ageing; Blood vessel; Blood-brain barrier; Brain; Drosophila; Neurogenesis; Stem cell; Ventricular-subventricular zone