Astrocytic Calcium Waves Signal Brain Injury to Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells

Anna Kraft, Eduardo Rosales Jubal, Ruth von Laer, Claudia Döring, Adriana Rocha, Moyo Grebbin, Martin Zenke, Helmut Kettenmann, Albrecht Stroh, Stefan Momma*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Brain injuries, such as stroke or trauma, induce neural stem cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) to a neurogenic response. Very little is known about the molecular cues that signal tissue damage, even over large distances, to the SVZ. Based on our analysis of gene expression patterns in the SVZ, 48 hr after an ischemic lesion caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion, we hypothesized that the presence of an injury might be transmitted by an astrocytic traveling calcium wave rather than by diffusible factors or hypoxia. Using a newly established in vitro system we show that calcium waves induced in an astrocytic monolayer spread to neural stem and progenitor cells and increase their self-renewal as well as migratory behavior. These changes are due to an upregulation of the Notch signaling pathway. This introduces the concept of propagating astrocytic calcium waves transmitting brain injury signals over long distances.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)701-714
Number of pages14
JournalStem Cell Reports
Volume8
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Mar 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • astrocytes
  • calcium signaling
  • neural stem cells
  • notch
  • stroke

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