Abstract

In the developing central nervous system, most neurogenesis occurs in the ventricular and subventricular proliferative zones. In the adult telencephalon, neurogenesis contracts to the subependyma zone and the dentate gyrus (subgranular zone) of the hippocampus. These restricted niches containing progenitor cells which divide to produce neurons or glia, depending on the intrinsic and environmental cues. Neurogenic niches are characterized by a comparatively high vascular density and, in many cases, interaction with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Both the vasculature and the CSF represent a source of signaling molecules, which can be relatively rapidly modulated by external factors and circulated through the central nervous system. As the brain develops, there is vascular remodeling and a compartmentalization and dynamic modification of the ventricular surface which may be responsible for the change in the proliferative properties. This review will explore the relationship between progenitor cells and the developing vascular and ventricular space. In particular the signaling systems employed to control proliferation, and the consequence of abnormal vascular or ventricular development on growth of the telencephalon. It will also discuss the potential significance of the barriers at the vascular and ventricular junctions in the influence of the proliferative niches.

Highlights

  • It is essential that an organ and its blood supply should develop together in synchrony to allow optimal conditions for the different stages of growth, differentiation and changing functional requirements

  • Work from Tavazoie et al (2008) suggests that elements of the blood-brain barrier may be different in the subependymal zone/also called the adult subventricular zone (SVZ) (SEZ) neurovascular niche

  • The subgranular zone (SGZ) was affected, rather than the SVZ, implying a tissue specific alteration, which may be more related to the vasculature or local microglia than changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) signaling

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

It is essential that an organ and its blood supply should develop together in synchrony to allow optimal conditions for the different stages of growth, differentiation and changing functional requirements. Close examination of developing brain has led to the hypothesis that signals from the brain parenchyma itself regulate the sites of penetrance by the pioneering vascular branches from the perineural plexus, and there is increasing evidence that variations in normal brain growth can alter the vasculature (Vasudevan et al, 2008) in the same way that altered vascular development affects neural patterning (Javaherian and Kriegstein, 2009) This is, at least partly, due to the presence of a variety of co-signaling systems, e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Notch, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and their receptors, which clearly have a Abbreviations: CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; SEZ, subependymal zone/ called the adult SVZ; SGZ, subgranular zone; Shh, sonic hedgehog; Smo, smoothened receptor; SVZ, subventricular zone; VCAM, vascular cell adhesion molecule; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; VZ, ventricular zone. This observation has led to the hypothesis that the endothelial cells provide a support for the neural progenitors, either structural or chemical, a concept that is www.frontiersin.org

Stolp and Molnár
CONCLUSION

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