Cell Stem Cell
Volume 1, Issue 5, 15 November 2007, Pages 515-528
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Article
In Vivo Fate Analysis Reveals the Multipotent and Self-Renewal Capacities of Sox2+ Neural Stem Cells in the Adult Hippocampus

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Summary

To characterize the properties of adult neural stem cells (NSCs), we generated and analyzed Sox2-GFP transgenic mice. Sox2-GFP cells in the subgranular zone (SGZ) express markers specific for progenitors, but they represent two morphologically distinct populations that differ in proliferation levels. Lentivirus- and retrovirus-mediated fate-tracing studies showed that Sox2+ cells in the SGZ have potential to give rise to neurons and astrocytes, revealing their multipotency at the population as well as at a single-cell level. A subpopulation of Sox2+ cells gives rise to cells that retain Sox2, highlighting Sox2+ cells as a primary source for adult NSCs. In response to mitotic signals, increased proliferation of Sox2+ cells is coupled with the generation of Sox2+ NSCs as well as neuronal precursors. An asymmetric contribution of Sox2+ NSCs may play an important role in maintaining the constant size of the NSC pool and producing newly born neurons during adult neurogenesis.

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Cited by (0)

2

Present address: Center of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona, Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.

3

Present address: Department of Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, University of Brescia, Via Valsabbina 19, 25123, Italy.

4

Present address: CyThera, Inc., 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.

5

These authors contributed equally to this work.