Neural Stem Cell Biology and Application to Developmental Neurotoxicity Assessment

Abstract Neural stem cells are known to be present in the brain for the entire life. Their proliferation and differentiation are strictly balanced by intrinsic and extrinsic regulators. The capability of culturing neural stem cells that are derived from embryonic stem cells, especially from induced pluripotent stem cells in vitro, makes it possible to provide an unlimited source for generating neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, which can be used in neurological disease modeling, neurotoxicological studies, and in cell replacement therapies for neurological diseases. Utilizing neural stem cells as a model for developmental neurotoxicity assessment has recently received broad attention, and the applications have been growing. There is an urgent need to develop a practical neural stem cell evaluation system and establish a standardized battery of testing for developmental neurotoxicity assessment.