Neural Stem Cells and their Therapeutic Potenial

Essay from the year 2003 in the subject Biology - Neurobiology, grade: Distinction (1,0), Oxford University (Department of Experimental Psychology), language: English, abstract: In contrast to previous opinions, it is now well established that neurogenesis occurs in the adult mammalian brain, at least in restricted areas where cells with stem cell like properties can be found. While great efforts have been expended to investigate the intrinsic properties of neural stem cells (NSCs) and the factors regulating their differentiation during the last decade, recent lines of research have begun to explore their therapeutic potential. This essay briefly summarizes the current state of stem cell research and gives a survey of the experimental approaches employed to investigate potential therapeutic applications of NSCs in the treatment of Parkinson disease and glioblastoma.