Ascl1 (Mash1) defines cells with long-term neurogenic potential in subgranular and subventricular zones in adult mouse brain

Ascl1 (Mash1) is a bHLH transcription factor essential for neural differentiation during embryogenesis but its role in adult neurogenesis is less clear. Here we show that in the adult brain Ascl1 is dynamically expressed during neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus subgranular zone (SGZ) and more rostra...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2011-03, Vol.6 (3), p.e18472-e18472
Main Authors: Kim, Euiseok J, Ables, Jessica L, Dickel, Lauren K, Eisch, Amelia J, Johnson, Jane E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
ASCL1 protein
B cells
Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - genetics
Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - metabolism
Biology
Brain
Brain - cytology
Brain - metabolism
Cell Differentiation - genetics
Cell Differentiation - physiology
Dentate gyrus
Dentate Gyrus - cytology
Dentate Gyrus - metabolism
Drosophila
Embryogenesis
Embryonic development
Embryonic growth stage
Helix-loop-helix proteins (basic)
Insects
Lymphocytes B
Mice
Morphology
Neural stem cells
Neural Stem Cells - cytology
Neural Stem Cells - metabolism
Neurogenesis
Neurogenesis - genetics
Neurogenesis - physiology
Neurons
Neurosciences
Olfactory bulb
Rodents
Stem cell transplantation
Stem cells
Subventricular zone
Tamoxifen
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Summary:Ascl1 (Mash1) is a bHLH transcription factor essential for neural differentiation during embryogenesis but its role in adult neurogenesis is less clear. Here we show that in the adult brain Ascl1 is dynamically expressed during neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus subgranular zone (SGZ) and more rostral subventricular zone (SVZ). Specifically, we find Ascl1 levels low in SGZ Type-1 cells and SVZ B cells but increasing as the cells transition to intermediate progenitor stages. In vivo genetic lineage tracing with a tamoxifen (TAM) inducible Ascl1CreERT2 knock-in mouse strain shows that Ascl1 lineage cells continuously generate new neurons over extended periods of time. There is a regionally-specific difference in neuron generation, with mice given TAM at postnatal day 50 showing new dentate gyrus neurons through 30 days post-TAM, but showing new olfactory bulb neurons even 180 days post-TAM. These results show that Ascl1 is not restricted to transit amplifying populations but is also found in a subset of neural stem cells with long-term neurogenic potential in the adult brain.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0018472