Neural stem cells are self-renewing, multipotent cells that generate the principal cell types of the nervous system, namely neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, through the process of neurogenesis and gliogenesis. During development they constitute the founding population of the central nervous system, and in …
Neural stem cells are self-renewing, multipotent cells that generate the principal cell types of the nervous system, namely neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, through the process of neurogenesis and gliogenesis. During development they constitute the founding population of the central nervous system, and in the adult brain they persist within restricted niches, supporting limited ongoing neurogenesis and contributing to plasticity. Their defining properties are self-renewal, which preserves the stem cell pool, and multipotency, which enables differentiation into diverse neural lineages under the control of intrinsic transcriptional programmes and extrinsic signals from the surrounding microenvironment, including pathways governing oligodendrocyte and neuronal specification. Because they can replace lost or damaged cells and secrete supportive factors, neural stem cells are studied for regenerative approaches to neurological injury and disease, including stroke and neurodegeneration, often in conjunction with biomaterial scaffolds and three-dimensional culture systems that recreate aspects of neural tissue and support transplantation. Their survival and fate are sensitive to pharmacological and environmental influences; agents may exert dual neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects, modulated by processes such as autophagy. Research in this area examines the regulation of neural stem cell survival and differentiation, their interaction with engineered scaffolds for transplantation and disease modelling, and their potential in repairing the nervous system.
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The 9 articles above have been cited 45 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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