Adult neurogenesis as a potential source for regeneration of structural brain damage : Redirection of neuronal precursor cells from the rostral migratory stream into prefrontal cortex lesions in adult rats

Abstract

Up until today physical brain damage is incurable. Whenever cells of the central nervous system are lost, either due to a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or neurodegenerative diseases, they are considered irretrievably lost. Nonetheless, the adult mammalian brain features two distinct areas capable of continuous production of neuronal precursor cells: The subgranular zone of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone around the walls of the lateral ventricles. The subventricular zone-derived neuroblasts follow a rigid migratory path, the rostral migratory stream (RMS), through the forebrain towards the olfactory bulb. En route they form elongated aggregates, so called migration chains, which accelerate the migration, but also hinder the cells from leaving the RMS. Within the present project two methods were evaluated with regard to their potential to redirect neuroblasts from the RMS of adult rats towards a nearby brain lesion.