Regulation of neural crest stem cell development

Abstract

1 1 Abstract Stem cells have a high potential for replacement and transplantation in regeneration of destroyed tissue in the body. To take advantage and benefit from this capability, one needs to understand the development of the body and the molecular mechanisms by which stem cells give rise to progenitor cells from which fully differentiated cells develop. With this knowledge, it will be easier to generate the correct cells for future transplantations. The achievement of stem cell therapy is coming closer with the new technique to induce pluripotent cells from human somatic cells. The neural crest provides a fascinating tool to study stem cells in development. The neural crest stem cells are invasive, and after delamination from the neural tube they migrate throughout the body to reach their postmigratory sites where they finally differentiate. Among neural crest derivatives are the pheripheral nervous system, including sensory and autonomic neurons and Schwann cells, the cardiac outflow tract, the craniofacial skeleton and cartilage, and melanocytes. This thesis addresses two questions: First, the role of Smad4 in neural crest development, and second, the intracellular mechanism of neural crest stem cell maintenance. Therefore the results (including the discussion) are given in two parts.