title: Neural Crest Cells Contribute an Astrocyte-like Glial Population to the Spleen.
abstract: Neural crest cells (NCC) are multi-potent cells of ectodermal origin that colonize diverse organs, including the gastrointestinal tract to form the enteric nervous system (ENS) and hematopoietic organs (bone marrow, thymus) where they participate in lymphocyte trafficking. Recent studies have implicated the spleen as an anatomic site for integration of inflammatory signals from the intestine with efferent neural inputs. We have previously observed alterations in splenic lymphocyte subsets in animals with defective migration of NCC that model Hirschsprung's disease, leading us to hypothesize that there may be a direct cellular contribution of NCC to the spleen. Here, we demonstrate that NCC colonize the spleen during embryogenesis and persist into adulthood. Splenic NCC display markers indicating a glial lineage and are arranged anatomically adjacent to blood vessels, pericytes and nerves, suggesting an astrocyte-like phenotype. Finally, we identify similar neural-crest derived cells in both the avian and non-human primate spleen, showing evolutionary conservation of these cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America.
authors.forename: Amanda J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barlow-Anacker
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America.
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotechnologia de Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertocchini
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America.|Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ankush
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gosain
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B / Q000378:metabolism; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000602969:EDNRB protein, mouse; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid