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© The Rockefeller University Press, 0021-9525/2003/12/1185 $8.00
The Journal of Cell Biology, Volume 163, Number 6, 1185-1185

Neural progenitors find VEGF attractive

Neural progenitors migrate toward VEGF.

Blood vessels and neural stem cells can be led to their targets by the same factor, say Zhang et al. on page 1375. The factor, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF), is known as a major inducer of angiogenesis. Zhang et al. show that it is also a powerful attractant for immature neural progenitor cells. In the developing mammalian brain, it may be used when both neural stem cell migration and blood vessel growth must head for the same brain region.

The authors purified neural progenitors from the subventricular zones of newborn rats, and cultured them in the presence of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) to prevent them from differentiating. The progenitor cells migrate up gradients of VEGF, in a chemotactic response specifically mediated by VEGF receptor 2. In cocultures in three-dimensional collagen matrices, the progenitors migrate toward VEGF-secreting cells. Progenitor cells that are allowed to differentiate into neuron- or glia- restricted lineages become insensitive to VEGF.

The data suggest that VEGF links angiogenesis to neurogenesis to establish neurogenic niches within the developing brain. Once the niches are established by immature progenitors, they could act as launching points for migrations by more differentiated cells. VEGF and FGF-2 might be useful in treating brain injuries by directing transplanted progenitor cells to migrate into damaged areas.

Alan W. Dove

alanwdove{at}earthlink.net

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This Article Full Text (PDF, 470K) PPT slides of all figures Alert me when this article is cited Services Email this article Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new content in the JCB Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dove, A. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dove, A. W. Social Bookmarking                            What's this?