Nestin‐positive cells in the spinal cord: a potential source of neural stem cells

Abstract

Some literatures have reported neural precursor cells (NPCs) exist in spinal cord of adult mammal, however, the NPCs distribution feature in spinal cord of adult mice so far is not described in detail. In order to observe and compare the distribution feature of NPCs in various spinal cord regions of adult mice, to research a potential source of neural stem cells (NSCs), we obtained NPCs distribution feature by analyzing the distribution of the nestin-containing cells (NCCs) in spinal cord of adult nestin second-intron enhancer controlled LacZ reporter transgenic mice (pNes-Tg) with LacZ staining and positive cell quantification. The results showed that: NCCs were observed in various regions of spinal cord of adult mice, but amount of NCCs was different in distinct region, the rank order of NCCs amount in various spinal cord regions was dorsal horn region greater than central canal greater than the ventral and lateral horn. NCCs in dorsal horn region mainly distributed in substantia gelatinosa, NCCs in central canal mainly distributed in ependymal zone, on the contrary, NCCs in ventral, lateral horn, medullae, nucleus regions of spinal cord were comparatively less. The rank order of NCCs amount in various spinal cord segments was cervical segment greater than lumbar sacral segment greater than thoracic segment. There was no significantly difference between NCCs amount in the left and right sides, and within cervical 1-7, thoracic 1-12, lumbar 1-5, sacral segment of spinal cord in adult mice. These data collectively indicate that NPCs extensively distribute in various regions of spinal cord of adult mice, especially in substantia gelatinosa and ependymal zone. NPCs in cervical segment are abundant, NPCs in thoracic segment are the least while compared the different spinal cord segment, the NPCs in various regions of spinal cord of adult mice are a potential source of NSCs.

Nestin-Positive Ependymal Cells Are Increased in the Human Spinal Cord after Traumatic Central Nervous System Injury

“…5,7,14 The progeny of dividing neural progenitor cells differentiate into oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in vivo, but have the capacity to differentiate into neurons under the right growth conditions, as is shown by in vitro studies. 5,14 Similar to other studies in animals, 4,8,11,29,30 human nestin-positive cells were predominantly located in the ependyma layer of the central canal. Our results showed an increase in the percentage of nestin-positive ependymal cells in the human cords, but no overall increase in the ependymal cell number.…”

Clinical and pathological effects of intrathecal injection of mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural progenitors in an experimental model of multiple sclerosis

“…Nestin expression has been found to increase in response to pathological insult to the brain and spinal cord [12,13] and the re-expression of nestin in reactive astrocytes has been associated with neuroprotection [14]. In spinal cord sections of EAE mice, we found discrete regions of nestin-positive cells associated with some lesion areas at all timepoints in both control (Fig.…”

A Comparison of Neurosphere Differentiation Potential of Canine Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

“…Nestin is commonly used as a marker protein for CNS stem/progenitor cells and is expressed in prenatal and postnatal developing brain [6,38]. βIII-Tubulin is widely regarded as a neuronal marker in immature cells, while NCAM is expressed on most neuroectodermal-derived cell lines and tissues.…”