Chapter 5 - Role of Fundamental Pathways of Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Neural Differentiation: Focus on Toll-like Receptors, Complement System, and T-Cell-Related Signaling

Abstract

A large panel of cell surface molecules originally described for their function in the immune response is also expressed by neural stem cells (NSCs) and their neural derivatives, supporting the broad influence of immune signaling on NSC behavior and function. This chapter highlights recent studies illustrating the critical roles of fundamental pathways of innate (Toll-like receptors, complement system) and adaptive (major histocompatibility complex, costimulatory molecules, CD3ζ) immunity on NSC proliferation and differentiation. Important implications result from these findings with regard to the search for selective cell surface markers required for the characterization and purification of specific cell populations derived from NSCs and to how immune challenge may influence the activity and fate of NSCs in the context of neurodevelopmental diseases.