Neural stem cells (NSCs) are essential for the development and repair of the central nervous system, with the unique ability to self-renew and differentiate into various neural cell types. Their behavior, shaped by intrinsic genetic factors and their surrounding microenvironment, or "niche," is crucial in maintaining stemness and guiding differentiation. The complex interplay between NSCs and their niche has gained significant research attention, with important implications for neurodevelopment, regenerative medicine, and neurodegenerative diseases.
This article collection probes on the interactions between NSCs and their niche, focusing on how environmental factors like physical attachment, chemical signals, and cell-cell interactions regulate NSC behavior. By examining niche components such as extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and molecular signaling pathways, this collection aims to uncover mechanisms that influence NSC fate. These insights will inform therapeutic strategies to promote regeneration or prevent abnormal differentiation, with potential applications in treating neurological disorders.
Potential topics of interest for this collection include:
•The molecular and cellular factors within the neural stem cell niche that regulate stemness and differentiation.
•Mechanisms of NSC physical attachment to the niche, including ECM composition and cell adhesion molecules.
•Role of niche-driven signaling pathways in modulating NSC proliferation and differentiation.
•Advances in bioengineering and tissue scaffolding to recreate NSC niches for therapeutic applications.
•In vivo and in vitro models of NSC-niche interactions, including the use of organoids and 3D culture systems.
•The impact of aging, disease, and injury on the neural stem cell niche, and strategies for niche rejuvenation.
This collection encourages submissions from authors investigating fundamental biological principles as well as translational research aimed at harnessing NSC-niche interactions for clinical interventions. We invite original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that contribute to the regulation of NSCs by their niche and the potential for therapeutic targeting of this microenvironment. By compiling a diverse array of research findings, we aim to foster collaboration and advance the field of neural stem cell biology, offering new avenues for treating neurodegenerative diseases, brain injuries, and other conditions involving neural tissue damage. Authors are encouraged to contribute their latest findings and insights into how neural stem cells and their niche work together to sustain the balance between stemness and differentiation, as well as how these processes may be harnessed for future medical breakthroughs.
Keywords:
Neural Stem Cell, Niche, Stemness, Differentiation, Physical Attachment
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Neural stem cells (NSCs) are essential for the development and repair of the central nervous system, with the unique ability to self-renew and differentiate into various neural cell types. Their behavior, shaped by intrinsic genetic factors and their surrounding microenvironment, or "niche," is crucial in maintaining stemness and guiding differentiation. The complex interplay between NSCs and their niche has gained significant research attention, with important implications for neurodevelopment, regenerative medicine, and neurodegenerative diseases.
This article collection probes on the interactions between NSCs and their niche, focusing on how environmental factors like physical attachment, chemical signals, and cell-cell interactions regulate NSC behavior. By examining niche components such as extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and molecular signaling pathways, this collection aims to uncover mechanisms that influence NSC fate. These insights will inform therapeutic strategies to promote regeneration or prevent abnormal differentiation, with potential applications in treating neurological disorders.
Potential topics of interest for this collection include:
•The molecular and cellular factors within the neural stem cell niche that regulate stemness and differentiation.
•Mechanisms of NSC physical attachment to the niche, including ECM composition and cell adhesion molecules.
•Role of niche-driven signaling pathways in modulating NSC proliferation and differentiation.
•Advances in bioengineering and tissue scaffolding to recreate NSC niches for therapeutic applications.
•In vivo and in vitro models of NSC-niche interactions, including the use of organoids and 3D culture systems.
•The impact of aging, disease, and injury on the neural stem cell niche, and strategies for niche rejuvenation.
This collection encourages submissions from authors investigating fundamental biological principles as well as translational research aimed at harnessing NSC-niche interactions for clinical interventions. We invite original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that contribute to the regulation of NSCs by their niche and the potential for therapeutic targeting of this microenvironment. By compiling a diverse array of research findings, we aim to foster collaboration and advance the field of neural stem cell biology, offering new avenues for treating neurodegenerative diseases, brain injuries, and other conditions involving neural tissue damage. Authors are encouraged to contribute their latest findings and insights into how neural stem cells and their niche work together to sustain the balance between stemness and differentiation, as well as how these processes may be harnessed for future medical breakthroughs.
Keywords:
Neural Stem Cell, Niche, Stemness, Differentiation, Physical Attachment
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.