Title:
Migration of new neurons in the adult brain

 

Kazunobu Sawamoto
Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences

 

Abstract:
Neuronal migration is an important process in brain development and homeostasis. It occurs in the adult brain, following adult neurogenesis, not only in the embryonic brain. New neurons generated by stem cells in the adult ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) take the long journey to the olfactory bulb (OB) through the rostral migratory stream (RMS). In the RMS, chain-forming new neurons secrete Slit1 to clear the path of astrocytic processes for their rapid migration (1). After reaching the OB, Gmip, a RhoA-specific GTPase-activating protein, serves as a brake to control the speed of neuronal migration (2). The neural stem cells in the adult V-SVZ also have the capacity to partially regenerate new neurons after various insults. After ischemic stroke in rodents, the V-SVZ-derived new neurons migrate towards the injured regions along blood vessels. Transplantation of laminin-rich porous sponge promoted the migration of new neurons towards the injured cortex (3), suggesting that artificial blood vessel-like scaffold may enhance regenerative property of endogenous new neurons in the brain.

 

References:
1. Kaneko et al. (2010) New Neurons Clear the Path of Astrocytic Processes for Their Rapid Migration in the Adult Brain. Neuron 67:213-223.
2. Ota et al. (2014) Speed control for neuronal migration in the postnatal brain by Gmip-mediated local inactivation of RhoA. Nat Commun 5: 4532.
3. Ajioka et al. (2015) Enhancement of neuroblast migration into the injured cerebral cortex using laminin-containing porous sponge. Tissue Eng Part A 21: 193-201.