Awakening adult neural stem cells: NOX signalling as a positive regulator of the quiescence-to-proliferation transition in the Xenopus retina.

A growing wealth of data suggest that reactive oxygen species (ROS) signalling might be crucial in conferring embryonic or adult stem cells their specific properties. However, how stem cells control ROS production and scavenging, and how ROS in turn contribute to stemness, remain poorly understood. Using the Xenopus retina as a model system, we first investigated the redox status of retinal stem cells (RSCs).

Beneficial Effects of Hyaluronan-Based Hydrogel Implantation after Cortical Traumatic Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes cell death mainly in the cerebral cortex. We have previously reported that transplantation of embryonic cortical neurons immediately after cortical injury allows the anatomical reconstruction of injured pathways and that a delay between cortical injury and cell transplantation can partially improve transplantation efficiency. Biomaterials supporting repair processes in combination with cell transplantation are in development.

Better Outcomes with Intranigral versus Intrastriatal Cell Transplantation: Relevance for Parkinson's Disease.

Intrastriatal embryonic ventral mesencephalon grafts have been shown to integrate, survive, and reinnervate the host striatum in clinical settings and in animal models of Parkinson's disease. However, this ectopic location does not restore the physiological loops of the nigrostriatal pathway and promotes only moderate behavioral benefits. Here, we performed a direct comparison of the potential benefits of intranigral versus intrastriatal grafts in animal models of Parkinson's disease.