Genetic regulatory elements introduced into neural stem and progenitor cell populations

The genetic manipulation of neural cells has advantage in both basic biolog y and medicine. Its utility has provided a clearer understanding of how the survival, connectivity, and chemical phenotype of neurones is regulated du ring, and after, embryogenesis. Much of this achievement has come from the recent generation by genetic means of reproducible and representative suppl ies of precursor cells which can then be analyzed in a variety of paradigms . Furthermore, advances made in the clinical use of transplantation for neu rodegenerative disease have created a demand for an abundant, efficacious a nd safe supply of neural cells for grafting. This review describes how gene tic methods, in juxtaposition to epigenetic means, have been used advantage ously to achieve this goal. In particular, we detail how gene transfer tech niques have been developed to enable cell immortalization, manipulation of cell differentation and commitment, and the controlled selection of cells f or purification or safety purposes, In addition, it is now also possible to genetically modify antigen presentation on cell surfaces. Finally, there i s detailed the transfer of therapeutic products to discrete parts of the ce ntral nervous system (CNS), using neural cells as elegant and sophisticated delivery vehicles. In conclusion, once the epigenetic and genetic controls over neural cell pr oduction, differentiation and death have been more fully determined, provid ing a mixture of hard-wired elements and more flexibly expressed characteri stics becomes feasible. Optimization of the contributions and interactions of these two controlling systems should lead to improved cell supplies for neurotransplantation.