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In vivo analysis of quiescent adult neural stem cells responding to Sonic hedgehog

Nature volume 437, pages 894–897 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) has been implicated in the ongoing neurogenesis in postnatal rodent brains1,2. Here we adopted an in vivo genetic fate-mapping strategy, using Gli1 (GLI-Kruppel family member) as a sensitive readout of Shh activity, to systematically mark and follow the fate of Shh-responding cells in the adult mouse forebrain. We show that initially, only a small population of cells (including both quiescent neural stem cells and transit-amplifying cells) responds to Shh in regions undergoing neurogenesis. This population subsequently expands markedly to continuously provide new neurons in the forebrain. Our study of the behaviour of quiescent neural stem cells provides in vivo evidence that they can self-renew for over a year and generate multiple cell types. Furthermore, we show that the neural stem cell niches in the subventricular zone and dentate gyrus are established sequentially and not until late embryonic stages.

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Figure 1: Neural stem cells respond to Shh and expand over time in vivo.
Figure 2: Quiescent neural stem cells respond to Shh signalling.
Figure 3: Shh-responding neural stem cells generate multiple cell types in vivo.
Figure 4: Shh-responding neural stem cells are established during late embryogenesis in mice.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank J. Wolf, K. Harper, D. Stephens, O. Aristizabal and R. Turnbull for technical assistance; M. Fuccillo for experimental advice; P. Soriano for R26R mice; D. Rowitch and C. Stiles for the anti-Olig2 antibody; G. Fishell for his insightful input throughout the project, and M. Zervas and S. Blaess for critical reading of the manuscript. S.A. is supported by a NIH National Research Service Award postdoctoral fellowship and A.L.J. is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.

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Author notes

  1. Sohyun Ahn

    Present address: Unit on Developmental Neurogenetics, Laboratory of Mammalian Genes and Development, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 6B, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Developmental Genetics Program, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology,

    Sohyun Ahn & Alexandra L. Joyner

  2. Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, New York, 10016, New York, USA

    Alexandra L. Joyner

Authors
  1. Sohyun Ahn
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  2. Alexandra L. Joyner
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Correspondence to Alexandra L. Joyner.

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Reprints and permissions information is available at npg.nature.com/reprintsandpermissions. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Figure 1

Transit-amplifying cells respond to Shh signaling in the SVZ as evidenced by their double labeling of lacZ (red) and Olig2 (green). (JPG 229 kb)

Supplementary Figure 2

Dlx2+ transit-amplifying cells are greatly diminished one week after AraC treatment in the rostral migratory stream (RMS) and SVZ. (JPG 229 kb)

Supplementary Figure 3

The ability of Shh-responding stem cells to regerminate repetitively was demonstrated by multiple administration of AraC. (JPG 356 kb)

Supplementary Figure 4

Shh-responding neural stem cells generate interneurons of the olfactory bulb: GABAergic and dompaminergic periglomerular neurons and GABAergic granule neurons. (JPG 286 kb)

Supplementary Table 1

Fate mapped Shh-responding cells were quantified for their co-expression of markers for neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes in the SVZ and DG. (PDF 78 kb)

Supplementary Notes

Supplementary Figure Legends and Supplementary Methods. (PDF 60 kb)

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Ahn, S., Joyner, A. In vivo analysis of quiescent adult neural stem cells responding to Sonic hedgehog. Nature 437, 894–897 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03994

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