Neuropeptides and Astrocytes Regulate Adult Neural Stem Cell Activity

BrainPost, 8 September 2020

The dentate gyrus is part of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that plays a critical role in memory formation. The dentate gyrus contains neural stem cells (brain cells that develop into other cell types) as well as a diverse range of other cell types, referred to as niche cells, such as granule cells, mossy cells, and astrocytes. These niche cells can release signals that act on neural stem cells to regulate neurogenesis, the process of generating new neurons. While previous research in the Song lab has identified that certain local niche cells can directly act on neural stem cells and regulate their behavior, it remains unknown if and how these niche cells interact within the dentate gyrus to regulate neural stem cells. Read more.