Inorganic mercury changes the fate of murine CNS stem cells.

SPECIFIC AIMSCentral nervous system (CNS) stem cells can generate the three major types found in the adult brain—astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons—independent of the local environment. Environmental stimulation can differentially affect the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of these cells in vivo. We test here whether inorganic mercury influences cellular and molecular characteristics of these cells and their fate. Our data point to new insights about neurotoxicity and cellular injury mediated by mercury on adult neural stem cells (ANSCs). This appears to be of particular interest since there is growing evidence that heavy metals in general and mercury compounds in particular are toxic for the CNS. Therefore, the eventual effect of mercury on ANSCs might participate in the development of a neuropathology.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS1. Effect of inorganic mercury on proliferation of adult murine CNS stem cellsANSCs were plated on 96 multiwells pretreated with Matrigel and incubated for 48 h with ...