What are the characteristics of cycling cells in the adult central nervous system?

Abstract

Many regions of the adult central nervous system contain cycling cells. Such cells comprise a relatively small fraction of the total population of the CNS. Work over decades has attempted to determine the normal fates of these cells and their fates under pathological conditions. The recent interest in “stem” cells and “progenitors” in the adult CNS has sparked a much revived exploration into the nature of these cells and in the signals by which they may be induced to differentiate into mature neurons or glia. This population has not yet been fully characterized, although it has become clear that this is a heterogeneous group of cells, differing in morphology, antigen expression, migratory capacity, and potential fates.