Background: In this study, we examined a new two step induction protocol for improving the differentiation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells into neural progenitor cells. Materials and Methods: Human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells were first cultured in Dulbecco’s modified eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum in a humidified incu...

Neural stem cells (NSCs) reside in a hypoxic microenvironment within the brain. However, the crucial transcription factors (TFs) that regulate NSC biology under physiologic hypoxia are poorly understood. Here we have performed gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of microarray datasets from hypoxic versus normoxic NSCs with the aim of identifying pathways and TFs that are activated under oxygen ...

Recent advances in stem cell research, including the selective expansion of neural stem cells (NSCs) in vitro, the induction of particular neural cells from embryonic stem cells in vitro, the identification of NSCs or NSC-like cells in the adult brain and the detection of neurogenesis in the adult brain (adult neurogenesis), have laid the groundwork for the development of novel therapies aimed ...

Understanding how autocrine/paracrine factors regulate neural stem cell (NSC) survival and growth is fundamental to the utilization of these cells for therapeutic applications and as cellular models for the brain. In vitro, NSCs can be propagated along with neural progenitors (NPs) as neurospheres (nsphs). The nsph conditioned medium (nsph-CM) contains cell-secreted factors that can regulate NS...

In adult mammals, neural stem cells (NSCs) generate new neurons that are important for specific types of learning and memory. Controlling adult NSC number and function is fundamental for preserving the stem cell pool and ensuring proper levels of neurogenesis throughout life. Here we study the importance of the microRNA gene cluster miR-106b~25 (miR-106b, miR-93, and miR-25) in primary cultures...

Introduction: In adult mammalian brain, neural stem cells are isolated from both the dentate gyrus and subventricular zone. This study aimed to isolate neural stem cells from adult rat subventricular zone and differentiate them into neurons and astrocytes.  Methods: In this study, the whole brain was removed after full anesthesia and creating cervical dislocation. Under a microscope, subv...

New neurons are generated in the adult hippocampus throughout life by neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs), and neurogenesis is a plastic process responsive to external stimuli. We show that canonical Notch signaling through RBP-J is required for hippocampal neurogenesis. Notch signaling distinguishes morphologically distinct Sox2(+) NSCs, and within these pools subpopulations can shuttle betwee...

Accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) into insoluble aggregates occurs in several related disorders collectively referred to as synucleinopathies. To date, studies have used neural stem cells (NSCs) to examine questions about α-syn propagation, but have overlooked the therapeutic potential of NSC transplantation to modulate cognition in disorders such as dementia with Lewy bodies or Parkinson's d...

Stem cell differentiation can be highly sensitive to mechanical inputs from the extracellular matrix (ECM). Identifying temporal windows during which lineage commitment responds to ECM stiffness, and the signals that mediate these decisions, would advance both mechanistic insights and translational efforts. To address these questions, we investigate adult neural stem cell (NSC) fate commitment ...

background: stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (shed) have the capability to differentiate into neural cells. neurotrophins including nerve growth factor (ngf), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf), neurotrophin-3 (nt-3), and neurotrophin-4 (nt-4) have neurogenesis, neurotrophic, or neuroprotective effects and are expressed in developing teeth. the aim of this study was to mea...