NEUROGENESIS IN ADULT HUMAN

THIS report describes neurogenesis in the adult human olfactory epithe lium in vitro. Olfactory epithelium was collected at autopsy and by bi opsy, and grown in serum-free medium. Basic fibroblast growth factor i nduced the differentiation of bipolar cells which were immunopositive for several neuronal proteins but not glial proteins. [H-3]thymidine a utoradiography confirmed that these neurones were born in vitro. The r esults demonstrate that the adult human olfactory epithelium retains t he capacity for neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation, at least un til the age of 72 years. It is now possible to examine neurones and ne urogenesis in biopsies from patients with disorders that may involve a neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative aetiology such as schizophren ia, bipolar disorder and Alzheimer's disease.