16 August 2001

Stem cells: Purification from the adult brain

A neurosphere formed from a stem cell is shown differentiating to form neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.

The adult mammalian brain is known to contain a population of neural stem cells, and in this issue Rietze et al. report the purification of the predominant type of neural stem cell from adult mouse brain. The cells are pluripotent, retaining the ability to generate either neural or non-neural cells. The direct study of such neural stem cells is a step towards understanding stem cell biology more fully, and the ultimate goal of learning how to stimulate endogenous neural production to replace damaged neuronal tissue.

Purification of a pluripotent neural stem cell from the adult mouse brain
RODNEY L. RIETZE, HELEN VALCANIS, GORDON F. BROOKER, TIM THOMAS, ANNE K. VOSS & PERRY F. BARTLETT
Nature 412, 736-739 (16 August 2001)
| Summary | Full Text | PDF (338 K) |

Neurobiology: Stem cells on the brain
ROBERT CASSIDY & JONAS FRIS�N
Stem cells have great potential for treating a variety of diseases and seem to hit the headlines almost every week. An extremely pure population of brain stem cells has now been obtained from adult mice.
Nature 412, 690-691 (16 August 2001)
| Full Text | PDF (124 K) |

No stemming the tide

16 August 2001 table of contents