Perspectives of Stem Cells : From Tools for Studying Mechanisms of Neuronal Differentiation Towards Therapy

Stem cells are fascinating cell types. They can replicate themselves forever while retaining the potential to generate progeny with speci?c functions. Because of these special properties, stem cells have been subjects of intensive investigation, from understanding basic mechanisms underlying tissue generation, to modeling human diseases, to application for cell replacement therapy. Stem cells come in different forms. For example, mouse embryonic stem cells can general all cell types in a body, either in a dish or when put back into mouse embryos. On the other hand, neural stem cells in the adult brain generate neurons and glia cells that contribute to the brain’s plasticity. Rapid progress has been made in the stem cell ?eld with discov- ies published in a record speed. A quick Pubmed search has returned 2789 hits for “embryonic stem cells” and 815 hits for “adult neural stem cells/neurogenesis” in the year 2008 alone. It remains a taunting task for all who are interested in stem cells to keep up with rapidly accumulating literatures. The “Perspectives of Stem Cells” by a truly international team of experts provides a timely and invaluable highlight of the stem cell ?eld gearing toward future therapeutic applications in the nervous system. Stem cells with neural potentials have attracted a lot of attention because of their promise for cell replacement therapy, ranging from degenerative neurological dis- ders to spinal cord injuries. The field of stem cell biology is geared towards translation into clinical practice through in vitro tissue production and regeneration therapy. Since the discovery of adult neurogenesis, much attention has been put on the study of differentiation of stem cells into neural cell types and the development of model systems for stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to chapters on therapeutic applicability of embryonic, very small-embryonic like, mesenchymal stem and neural progenitor cells, this book covers signalling mechanisms guiding induction to differentiation and cell diversification. Furthermore, fundamental aspects of stem cell biology and neurogenesis, such as the importance of proliferation induction, programmed cell death and the function of glia in differentiation of stem cells and development of neuronal circuits, are also highlighted. In vitro cultures of embryonic, mesenchymal and neural stem cells as well as mobilization of endogenous stem and precursor cells for brain repair and replacement therapy in neurological disorders are important issues of this book. Each chapter is written by researchers who are leaders in the field and provides an invaluable resource for information on the most current advances in the field and possible therapeutic applications, with discussions of controversial issues and areas of emerging importance. By providing an up-to-date and critical view of the state of Science, we hope that this book shall be a base for exciting scientific ideas regarding functions and therapeutic applications of stem cells in the adult brain. The book is directed to neuroscientists, physicians, students and all who are engaged and interested in the exciting and rapidly expanding field of modern neuroscience and stem cell biology Front Matter....Pages i-xv Neural Induction....Pages 1-10 Neurogenesis: A Change of Paradigms....Pages 11-33 Neurogenesis in the Olfactory Epithelium....Pages 35-45 Cell Diversification During Neural Crest Ontogeny: The Neural Crest Stem Cells....Pages 47-58 Intermediate Filament Expression in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells and Early Embryos....Pages 59-72 Aneuploidy in Embryonic Stem Cells....Pages 73-86 Retrotransposition and Neuronal Diversity....Pages 87-96 Directing Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Distinct Neuronal Subtypes....Pages 97-114 Neurotransmitters as Main Players in the Neural Differentiation and Fate Determination Game....Pages 115-134 Rhythmic Expression of Notch Signaling in Neural Progenitor Cells....Pages 135-143 Neuron-Astroglial Interactions in Cell Fate Commitment in the Central Nervous System....Pages 145-170 The Origin of Microglia and the Development of the Brain....Pages 171-189 Tissue Biology of Proliferation and Cell Death Among Retinal Progenitor Cells....Pages 191-230 Potential Application of Very Small Embryonic Like (VSEL) Stem Cells in Neural Regeneration....Pages 231-243 Embryonic Stem Cell Transplantation for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease....Pages 245-254 Functional Multipotency of Neural Stem Cells and Its Therapeutic Implications....Pages 255-270 Dual Roles of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Spinal Cord Injury: Cell Replacement Therapy and as a Model System to Understand Axonal Repair....Pages 271-284 Back Matter....Pages 285-290