Prospectively isolated CD133/CD24‐positive ependymal cells from the adult spinal cord and lateral ventricle wall differ in their long‐term in vitro self‐renewal and in vivo gene expression

Abstract

In contrast to ependymal cells located above the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult lateral ventricle wall (LVW), adult spinal cord (SC) ependymal cells possess certain neural stem cell characteristics. The molecular basis of this difference is unknown. In this study, antibodies against multiple cell surface markers were applied to isolate pure populations of SC and LVW ependymal cells, which allowed a direct comparison of their in vitro behavior and in vivo gene expression profile. Isolated CD133(+)/CD24(+)/CD45(-)/CD34(-) ependymal cells from the SC displayed in vitro self-renewal and differentiation capacity, whereas those from the LVW did not. SC ependymal cells showed a higher expression of several genes involved in cell division, cell cycle regulation, and chromosome stability, which is consistent with a long-term self-renewal capacity, and shared certain transcripts with neural stem cells of the embryonic forebrain. They also expressed several retinoic acid (RA)-regulated genes and responded to RA exposure. LVW ependymal cells showed higher transcript levels of many genes regulated by transforming growth factor-β family members. Among them were Dlx2, Id2, Hey1, which together with Foxg1 could explain their potential to turn into neuroblasts under certain environmental conditions.

Substance P stimulates proliferation of spinal neural stem cells in spinal cord injury via the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway

“…Liu et al [43] reported different electrophysiological properties of mitogen-expansion between adult rat SC-NSPCs and subventricular zone NSPCs. Also, Pfenninger et al [44] reported different gene expressions and proliferations between adult spinal cord ependymal cells and subventricular zone-originated neural precursor cells. Recently, Leonard et al [45] demonstrated that the NK1R in the human spinal cord increased after SCI, and traumatic SCI could promote NSPC proliferation [12].…”

Plastic Changes in the Spinal Cord in Motor Neuron Disease

“…A very recent state-of-the-art review [7] clearly indicated that, within spinal cord, adult stem cells originate from the ependymal layer within lamina X. This is based on genetic studies mapping the fate of these cells along with flow cytometric characterization [7, 22–24]. In baseline conditions stem cells from the spinal cord are rarely mitotic, while they increase dramatically their mitosis following injuries.…”

“…Adult stem cells in the spinal cord appear in the ependymal (and subependymal) zone within lamina X. In fact, as scholarly reviewed by Sabelström et al [7], studies based on mapping the genetic fate and isolation by flow cytometry indicate that ependymal cells in the adult spinal cord own stem cell potential [22–24]. …”

A Novel Monoclonal Antibody Against Neuroepithelial and Ependymal Cells and Characteristics of Its Positive Cells in Neurospheres

“…Their main functions in adult brains are secretion and/or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid components (Manthrope et al 1977). A great deal of recent literatures has reported that ependymal cells work as NSCs in adult rodent brains (Pfenninger et al 2007;Coskun et al 2008;Gleason et al 2008;Pfenninger et al 2011) and in the chordate larval nervous system (Horie et al 2011). There is no direct evidence that ependymal cells in this study are NSCs in young adult brains.…”

“…The other is that NSCs are a subset of CD133 ? ependymal cells in the ECL (Johansson et al 1999;Corti et al 2007;Pfenninger et al 2007;Coskun et al 2008;Pfenninger et al 2011). For the resolution of these controversies, it is necessary to find cell membrane surface antigens which enable the accurate identification and isolation of NSCs in adult cerebrums.…”