Electric Signals Regulate Directional Migration of Ventral Midbrain Derived Dopaminergic Neural Progenitor Cells via Wnt / GSK3β signaling.

Electric Signals Regulate Directional Migration of Ventral Midbrain Derived Dopaminergic Neural Progenitor Cells via Wnt / GSK3β signaling. Exp Neurol. 2014 Sep 26; Authors: Liu J, Zhu B, Zhang G, Wang J, Tian W, Ju G, Wei X, Song B Abstract Neural progenitor cell (NPC) replacement therapy is a promising treatment for neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease (PD). It requires a controlled directional migration and integration of NPCs, for example dopaminergic (DA) progenitor cells, into the damaged host brain tissue. There is, however, only limited understanding of how to regulate the directed migration of NPCs to the diseased or damaged brain tissues for the repair and regeneration. The aims of this study are to explore the possibility of using a physiological level of electrical stimulation to regulate the directed migration of ventral midbrain NPCs (NPC(vm)), and to investigate its potential regulation via GSK3β and associated downstream effectors. We tested the effects of direct-current (DC) electric fields (EFs) on the migration behaviors of the NPC(vm). A DC EF induced directional cell migration towards the cathode, namely electrotaxis. Reversal of the EF polarity triggered a sharp reversal of NPC(vm) electrotaxis. The electrotactic response was both time and EF voltage dependent. Pharmacologically inhibiting the canonical Wnt / GSK3β pathway significantly reduced the electrotactic response of NPC(vm), which...
Source: Experimental Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Exp Neurol Source Type: research