Open AccessA single factor elicits multilineage reprogramming of astrocytes in the adult mouse striatum
Author(s) -
Yunjia Zhang,
Boxun Li,
Sergio Giuseppe Cananzi,
Chuanhui Han,
Leilei Wang,
Yuhua Zou,
Yang–Xin Fu,
Gary C. Hon,
Chunli Zhang
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2107339119
Subject(s) - reprogramming , biology , progenitor cell , neuroscience , neural stem cell , progenitor , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , cell , genetics
Significance Outside the neurogenic niches, the adult brain lacks multipotent progenitor cells. In this study, we performed a series of in vivo screens and reveal that a single factor can induce resident brain astrocytes to become induced neural progenitor cells (iNPCs), which then generate neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Such a conclusion is supported by single-cell RNA sequencing and multiple lineage-tracing experiments. Our discovery of iNPCs is fundamentally important for regenerative medicine since neural injuries or degeneration often lead to loss/dysfunction of all three neural lineages. Our findings also provide insights into cell plasticity in the adult mammalian brain, which has largely lost the regenerative capacity.