Back to Journals » Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment » Volume 3 » Issue 6

Adult neural stem cells: The promise of the future

Authors Taupin P

Published 15 January 2008 Volume 2007:3(6) Pages 753—760

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S2289



Philippe Taupin

National Neuroscience Institute, National University of Singapore

Abstract: Stem cells are self-renewing undifferentiated cells that give rise to multiple types of specialized cells of the body. In the adult, stem cells are multipotents and contribute to homeostasis of the tissues and regeneration after injury. Until recently, it was believed that the adult brain was devoid of stem cells, hence unable to make new neurons and regenerate. With the recent evidences that neurogenesis occurs in the adult brain and neural stem cells (NSCs) reside in the adult central nervous system (CNS), the adult brain has the potential to regenerate and may be amenable to repair. The function(s) of NSCs in the adult CNS remains the source of intense research and debates. The promise of the future of adult NSCs is to redefine the functioning and physiopathology of the CNS, as well as to treat a broad range of CNS diseases and injuries.

Keywords: neurogenesis, transdifferentiation, plasticity, cellular therapy

Creative Commons License © 2008 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.