Dopamine neuron precursors within the developing human mesencephalon show radial glial characteristics.
Författare
Summary, in English
Specification and differentiation of neural precursors into dopaminergic neurons within the ventral mesencephalon has been subject to much attention due to the implication of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease and the perspective of generating sources of therapeutically active cells to be used for cell replacement therapy for the disease. However, despite intensive research efforts, little is known about the characteristics of the dopamine neuron progenitors in human. We show that the dopamine neuron determinant LMX1a is expressed in the diencephalic and mesencephalic dopaminergic neuron domains during human development. Within the mesencephalon, LMX1a is expressed in the dopaminergic neurons and their progenitors located in the ventricular zone of the floor plate region. Furthermore, the neural progenitors in the developing human ventral mesencephalon have a radial morphology and express the radial glial markers Vimentin and BLBP. These radial glia are mitotic and act as precursors for the dopaminergic neurons. Finally, we show that progenitors isolated from the human ventral mesencephalon maintain their radial glial characteristics and neurogenic capacity after expansion in vitro, making them a promising future source of cells to be used in cell replacement therapy for Parkinson's disease. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Avdelning/ar
Publiceringsår
2009
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
1648-1659
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
GLIA
Volym
57
Länkar
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Ämne
- Neurosciences
Status
Published
Forskningsgrupp
- Neurobiology
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 1098-1136