Stem cells in the nervous system articles from across Nature Portfolio

Macroglia are neural cells that have garnered less interest than neurons despite their crucial functions including neurogenesis. Here the authors use sequencing from several species to investigate the evolution of macroglia and of adult neurogenesis.

mRNAs associated with differentiated cells are already detected in adult neural stem cells. Here the authors show how intron detention prevents their translation, solving conflicts in fate decisions while priming stem cells for timely differentiation.

Neural stem cells in the adult mammalian brain derive from proliferating precursors that are spared as dormant reservoirs during development. Here, the authors show that autophagy is required for neural stem cells to transition to the adult quiescent state.

Cell therapy is a promising treatment for brain injury, but it is unclear if transplanted neurons demonstrate population dynamics. By monitoring transplanted neurons in injured mice, here the authors show the emergence of dynamics resembling intact networks.

In mice, specific pools of adult neural stem cells are recruited during pregnancy to support postpartum maternal behaviour.

Adult neurogenesis supports important brain functions, such as learning and memory, and its decrease during aging may contribute to the cognitive decline of the aged brain. This Collection provides insight into the role, regulation, and age-associated reduction of adult neurogenesis, by gathering studies investigating this process in different model systems, ages, and brain regions.

During retinal development in the mouse, angiogenesis was unexpectedly found to depend on temporally restricted dopamine production by retinal ganglion cells, rather than by canonical retinal dopamine neurons.

A phase 1 trial using an allogeneic stem-cell-based therapy in people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) shows the feasibility and tolerability of the approach; rigorous evaluation of this and other regenerative strategies for MS is now urgently needed.

Neuronal activity in a key region of the mouse hypothalamus modulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis, promoting the formation of adult-born neurons that support cognition and affective function.