First published online August 2, 2004
Development 131, 1605e (2004)
© The Company of Biologists Limited
Telomere erosion in neural stem cells
It has been known for some time that telomeres get shorter with each round
of DNA replication. To prevent this, highly proliferative cell types elongate
their telomeres using the reverse transcriptase telomerase. On
p. 4059,
Ferrón et al. investigate the effect of telomere erosion on the
proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs). Using mice that lack functional
telomerase, they show that progressive telomere shortening impairs the
proliferation of adult NSCs in vitro. Surprisingly, however, telomere erosion
does not affect the proliferation of embryonic NSCs, despite their
accumulation of chromosomal abnormalities. The researchers conclude that adult
and embryonic NSCs have very different responses to telomere shortening, and
that some types of stem cell can bypass DNA damage checkpoints. They point out
that by understanding the intracellular mechanisms that regulate NSC cycling,
techniques for activating neurogenesis might emerge for use in treating brain
disease.
Related articles in Development:
- Telomere shortening and chromosomal instability abrogates proliferation of adult but not embryonic neural stem cells
- Sacri Ferrón, Helena Mira, Sonia Franco, Marifé Cano-Jaimez, Elena Bellmunt, Carmen Ramírez, Isabel Fariñas, and María A. Blasco
Development 2004 131: 4059-4070.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
