Identification of a discrete subpopulation of spinal cord ependymal cells with neural stem cell properties

• Spinal cord ependymal cells display neural stem cell properties in vitro and generate scar-forming astrocytes and remyelinating oligodendrocytes after injury. We report that ependymal cells are functionally heterogeneous and identify a small subpopulation (8% of ependymal cells and 0.1% of all cells in a spinal cord segment), which we denote ependymal A (EpA) cells, that accounts for the in vitro stem cell potential in the adult spinal cord. After spinal cord injury, EpA cells undergo self-renewing cell division as they give rise to differentiated progeny. Single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed a loss of ependymal cell gene expression programs as EpA cells gained signaling entropy and dedifferentiated to a stem-cell-like transcriptional state after an injury. We conclude that EpA cells are highly differentiated cells that can revert to a stem cell state and constitute a therapeutic target for spinal cord repair.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Neurovetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Neurosciences (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)