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Neurons from stem cells: preventing an identity crisis

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 2, pages 831–834 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

It is now possible to grow stem cells from a wide variety of tissues. Some of these cells have been shown to differentiate into presumptive neurons in vitro, or after transplantation into the developing or adult brain. When stem cells derived directly from the brain are induced to differentiate, there is a high probability that some of the resulting cells will be neurons. However, when stem cells from one tissue (for example, bone marrow or skin) take on the phenotype of another (for example, brain), rigorous criteria are required to define neurons. The aim of this review is to discuss the various techniques that are used to identify a cell as a neuron.

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Figure 1: Neuronal development.
Figure 2: Neuronal lineage.
Figure 3: Progeny of a neural stem cell.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. members of the Waisman Center and Departments of Anatomy and Neurology, Stem Cell Research Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 53705-2280, Wisconsin, USA

    Clive N. Svendsen, Anita Bhattacharyya & Yu-Tzu Tai

Authors
  1. Clive N. Svendsen
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  2. Anita Bhattacharyya
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  3. Yu-Tzu Tai
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Clive N. Svendsen.

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DATABASES

LocusLink

EGF

galactocerebrosidase

GFAP

nestin

NeuN

NF-H

NSE

synaptophysin

Tau

β-tubulin III

FURTHER INFORMATION

The Waisman Center

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Svendsen, C., Bhattacharyya, A. & Tai, YT. Neurons from stem cells: preventing an identity crisis. Nat Rev Neurosci 2, 831–834 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35097581

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