Summary of the science
Embryonic neural stem cells are cells found in the developing brain that have the ability to give rise to various types of brain cells. Adult neural stem cells are similar cells found in the adult brain that can generate new neurons and support brain function.
About the research
The Gotoh Lab in Tokyo is dedicated to investigating the mechanisms and logic underlying the regulation of neural stem-progenitor cell fate, both during embryonic brain development and in adulthood. They are currently focused on studying the genetic and epigenetic factors that influence neural stem-progenitor cell fate and the maturation of neurons. Additionally, they are exploring the genesis and maintenance of adult neural stem cells, and examining how these processes relate to neuro-developmental disorders.
About the illustration
In the centre of the illustration, we placed a section of the adult mouse brain, which the Gotoh lab uses for their research. The yellow dots indicate where in the brain the neural stem/progenitor cells (that are expressing Notch/Hey1) are located - which is the subventricular zone. Above the brain, we wanted to show how the cells differentiate from embryonic neural stem/progenitor cells into adult neural stem cells. Cells that are rapidly recycling into more embryonic neural stem-progenitor cells that go on to build the brain are on the left, and stem cells that are differentiating slower are shown to become astrocytes and adult neural stem cells (on the right). The latter stem cells are linked to increased Notch/Hes1 expression.