Appaix F, Nissou MF, Sanden BVD, Dreyfus M, Berger F, Issartel JP, Wion D. Brain mesenchymal stem cells: The other stem cells of the brain? World J Stem Cells 2014; 6(2): 134-143 [PMID: 24772240 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v6.i2.134]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Didier Wion, PhD, INSERM U836, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Bâtiment Edmond J Safra, Université Joseph Fourier, CHU Michallon, 38042 Grenoble, France. didier.wion@ujf-grenoble.fr
Research Domain of This Article
Cell Biology
Article-Type of This Article
Topic Highlight
Open-Access Policy of This Article
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World J Stem Cells. Apr 26, 2014; 6(2): 134-143 Published online Apr 26, 2014. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v6.i2.134
Brain mesenchymal stem cells: The other stem cells of the brain?
Florence Appaix, Marie-France Nissou, Boudewijn van der Sanden, Matthieu Dreyfus, François Berger, Jean-Paul Issartel, Didier Wion
Florence Appaix, Marie-France Nissou, Jean-Paul Issartel, Didier Wion, INSERM U836, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Bâtiment Edmond J Safra, Université Joseph Fourier, CHU Michallon, 38042 Grenoble, France
Boudewijn van der Sanden, Matthieu Dreyfus, François Berger, INSERM U1167 CLINATEC, Centre de Recherche Edmond J Safra, MINATEC Campus CEA, 38054 Grenoble, France
Author contributions: All authors contributed to the writing, the illustrations and the revision of the manuscript.
Supported by INSERM and the Ligue contre le Cancer Isère-Rhône Alpes
Correspondence to: Didier Wion, PhD, INSERM U836, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Bâtiment Edmond J Safra, Université Joseph Fourier, CHU Michallon, 38042 Grenoble, France. didier.wion@ujf-grenoble.fr
Telephone: +33-456-520645 Fax: +33-456-520639
Received: November 12, 2013 Revised: January 16, 2014 Accepted: February 20, 2014 Published online: April 26, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), in addition to their potential to differentiate into cells of the mesenchymal lineage, have immunomodulatory properties and can transdifferentiate to generate neural cells at least in vitro. These stem cells are found in almost any adult tissue, including brain. The existence of similarities between MSC and pericytes points to brain pericytes as the other stem cell population of the adult brain in addition to neural stem cells. This raises fascinating perspectives on the potential of brain pericytes in nervous system maintenance and repair. The recent finding that brain cancer stem cells transdifferentiate into pericytes is another facet of the plasticity of these cells. It suggests that the perversion of the stem cell potential of pericyte might play an even unsuspected role in cancer formation and tumor progression.
