Publications by authors named "Dimitrios Kakogiannis"
Astrocytes and ependymal cells have been reported to be able to switch from a mature cell identity towards that of a neural stem/progenitor cell. Astrocytes are widely scattered in the brain where they exert multiple functions and are routinely targeted for in vitro and in vivo reprogramming. Ependymal cells serve more specialized functions, lining the ventricles and the central canal, and are multiciliated, epithelial-like cells that, in the spinal cord, act as bi-potent progenitors in response to injury.
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- The postnatal mammalian brain contains Neural Stem Cells (NSCs) concentrated in specific areas, which are being researched for potential regenerative therapies and transplantation methods.
- The full characteristics and capabilities of NSCs are not fully understood due to a lack of specific markers, but research is continuously advancing, particularly regarding their behavior in the Subependymal Zone (SEZ).
- The review highlights the various stages of NSCs (primitive, definitive, quiescent, and activated) and discusses the discovery of latent NSCs outside their traditional niches, which could lead to new treatment options through innovative cell reprogramming technologies.
Background: Loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) underlines much of the pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD), but the existence of an endogenous neurogenic system that could be targeted as a therapeutic strategy has been controversial. BNN-20 is a synthetic, BDNF-mimicking, microneurotrophin that we previously showed to exhibit a pleiotropic neuroprotective effect on the dopaminergic neurons of the SNpc in the "weaver" mouse model of PD. Here, we assessed its potential effects on neurogenesis.
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