From hematopoietic stem cells to neural stem cells

Stem cells are self-renewable, pluripotent cells that proliferate in adult life by characteristic asymmetric divisions, in which one daughter cell is committed to differentiation whereas the other remains as a stem cell, These cells are also able to differentiate into various cell types under heterotopic environmental influences. In the present study, we have explored the potential of adult hematopoietic bone marrow cells to differentiate into cells of oligodendroglial lineage under physiological, active myelinating conditions. We present evidence of oligodendrocyte generation from adult hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD117+) in vivo, after intracerebral transplantation into the neonatal mouse brain.