Bone marrow: a possible alternative source of cells in the adult nervous system

There is increasing evidence that stem cell populations can undergo a trans ition between mesodermal and neural ectodermal cell fates. Bone marrow-deri ved cells have been shown to be extremely versatile: they can become brain and liver cells and muscle, while other mesodermal derived cells have been shown to migrate into the brain and differentiate into neurons. Moreover, u nder the appropriate conditions, neural stem cells can differentiate into h ematopoietic and muscle cell fates. It is now well established that newly d ifferentiated cell types are continuously generated from immature stem cell s throughout development and in adult mammals, including humans. This revie w addresses the contribution that bone marrow-derived stem cells may play d uring neurogenesis. We transplanted male bone marrow into female recipients to track and characterize the Y chromosome containing cells in the CNS (ce ntral nervous system) of mice. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.