Postnatal NG2 proteoglycan-expressing progenitor cells are intrinsically multipotent and generate functional neurons

作者：Belachew S; Chittajallu R; Aguirre AA; Yuan XQ; Kirby M; Anderson S; Gallo V^*

来源：The Journal of Cell Biology, 2003, 161(1): 169-186.

DOI：10.1083/jcb.200210110

• stem cell
• oligodendrocyte progenitor
• differentiation
• adult neurogenesis
• glia

Neurogenesis is known to persist in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS). The identity of the cells that generate new neurons in the postnatal CNS has become a crucial but elusive issue. Using a transgenic mouse, we show that NG2 proteoglycan-positive progenitor cells that express the 2',3'-cyclic nucleoticle 3'-phosphodiesterase gene display a multipotent phenotype in vitro and generate electrically excitable neurons, as well as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The fast kinetics and the high rate of multipotent fate of these NG2(+) progenitors in vitro reflect an intrinsic property rather than reprogramming. We demonstrate in the hippocampus in vivo that a sizeable fraction of postnatal NG2(+) progenitor cells are proliferative precursors whose progeny appears to differentiate into GABAergic neurons capable of propagating action potentials and displaying functional synaptic inputs. These data show that at least a subpopulation of postnatal NG2-expressing cells are CNS multipotent precursors that may underlie adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

• 出版日期2003-4-14
• 单位NIH