2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Genetic fate mapping of Olig2 progenitors derived from cortex after cortical injury and cell transplantation.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20791017
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Cerebral neurosurgery
Research Institution	Nara Medical University
Principal Investigator	DKUDA Hiroaki Nara Medical University, 医学部, 助教 (40453162)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2009
Keywords	オリゴデンドロサイト前駆細胞
Research Abstract	Recent studies have begun to draw attention to neurogenesis in various brain regions other than the hippocampus and subventricular zone of the forebrain. These include several reports of adult neurogenesis in the cortex. Our results provide direct evidence that Olig2 progenitors with proliferative potential exist in adult cortex and that they preferentially differentiate into astrocytes in response to injury. Our study raises the possibility that Olig2 progenitors, which are, at least in part, the origin of astrocytes in glial scars, would be a target for potential therapeutic interventions after CNS injury.