Article

Identifying and tracking neural stem cells.

Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
Blood Cells Molecules and Diseases (impact factor: 2.35). 31(1):18-27. DOI:10.1016/S1079-9796(03)00130-X
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Hematopoietic stem cells, unlike neural stem cells, can be readily identified and isolated from developing and adult cell populations using positive and negative selection criteria. Isolating stem cells and progenitor cells from neural tissue has been more difficult because of difficulties in separating cells in solid tissue, the limited numbers of stem cells that persist in the adult, and the paucity of rigorously characterized markers. Nevertheless, strategies that have worked successfully in hematopoietic stem cell isolation can be adapted to isolate multiple classes of stem and progenitor cells from neural tissue. Neural stem cells also share cellular and molecular properties with other stem cell populations that may serve as surrogate identifiers of multipotentiality. Such potential markers are described. Unlike hematopoietic stem cells, tracking neural cells after transplantation is both necessary and more difficult. It will therefore be necessary to develop invasive and non-invasive strategies to follow transplanted cells and develop useful quantifiable readouts. Some potential strategies are described and current results are discussed.

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Keywords

adult cell populations
 
cell isolation
 
current results
 
difficulties
 
limited numbers
 
molecular properties
 
multiple classes
 
negative selection criteria
 
neural
 
neural cells
 
neural tissue
 
non-invasive strategies
 
paucity
 
potential markers
 
potential strategies
 
progenitor cells
 
solid tissue
 
stem cell populations
 
surrogate identifiers
 
useful quantifiable readouts