Special Feature: Neural Stem Cells and Neurogenesis
2011
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Journal
Neuron
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Key Takeaway Key Takeaway: Neuron and Cell Stem Cell issues complement each other, providing a comprehensive view of the neural stem cell field.
Abstract
In this issue of Neuron, we present a series of Reviews and Perspectives on neural stem cells and neurogenesis. The study of neural stem cells (NSCs) has provided fundamental insight into how the exquisite diversity of neurons and glia in the nervous system is achieved. And the role of NSCs does not end with development. While it was once thought that the production of neurons ends early in life and the adult brain has little potential for regeneration, the discovery of adult neurogenesis radically changed this view.We now know that neurogenesis occurs throughout life, giving us hope that this regenerative potential might be harnessed for the development of therapies for neurological disorders. Given that this is such an active area of research, it wasn’t possible to cover the full spectrum of the field in a single issue. Our goal was to highlight a range of topics and some of the conceptual themes that have emerged from recent work. These Reviews and Perspectives discuss how the study of NSCbiology and adult neurogenesis has provided fundamental insight into brain development and function. The potential clinical implications of this work are also considered. One of the central debates in the field is the focus of a pair of Point/Counterpoint pieces by Rene Hen and colleagues and Fred Gage and colleagues. In these pieces, the authors discuss their distinct views of the role of adult born neurons in cognition. In addition, this collection also contains two NeuroViews that look at stem cell research from a global and societal perspective. In his piece Douglas Sipp, from the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, discusses how stem cell research is a global enterprise, commenting on the resources and challenges for stem cell researchers across the globe. In the second NeuroView Patrick Taylor, Chair of the ISSCR Task Force on Unproven Stem Cell Treatments, considers how active engagement between scientists and the public, as well as ethicists and the government, has transformed the landscape of stem cell research. In their May issue, our colleagues at Cell Stem Cell published a special collection of Reviews and research papers on NSCs. The Neuron andCell StemCell articles provide a complementary view of the NSC field.Wewere excited to collaborate withCell StemCell on this project and hope that our goal of highlighting the intersection between the neuroscience and stem cell communities has been realized. All of these articles will be freely available on our website through June, so please check out the full collection. And if you’re attending the upcoming ISSCRmeeting in Toronto, stop by the Cell Press exhibitor booth to pick up a free copy of the issue. For even more on stem cells, be on the lookout for the anniversary issue ofCell StemCell in June and a collection of reviews on stem cells in the June 10 issue ofCell. Finally, in the JuneCellPodcast, wewill be talking with Sally Temple about some of the issues discussed in her Perspective on the state of the art in translating stem cell research into therapies. The cover art for this issue is an adaptation of an original painting, Recesses, by Paulo Zerbato. Mr. Zerbato is an artist working in São Paulo, Brazil, and the sense of growth in the image captures the theme of this series. More information on Mr. Zerbato’s artwork can be found on his website: http://paulo-zerbato.artistwebsites.com. Finally, we thank all of the authors for the effort and thought that they put into their pieces.We are also grateful to the reviewers who provided feedback on the Reviews and Perspectives in the series. We hope that this collection of articles will stimulate interest in the field and provoke discussion throughout the neuroscience research community. Research into NSCs and neurogenesis will continue to bring exciting discoveries, further insights into brain function and development, and, hopefully, therapies to address devastating neurological disorders. We are excited to see what the future holds.