Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andrés Bello Santiago, Chile.
Front Cell Neurosci. 2013 Jun 26;7:100. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00100. eCollection 2013.
In the adult brain new neurons are continuously generated mainly in two regions, the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone (SGZ) in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. In the SGZ, radial neural stem cells (NSCs) give rise to granule cells that integrate into the hippocampal circuitry and are relevant for the plasticity of the hippocampus. Loss of neurogenesis impairs learning and memory, suggesting that this process is important for adult hippocampal function. Adult neurogenesis is tightly regulated by multiple signaling pathways, including the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway. This pathway plays important roles during the development of neuronal circuits and in the adult brain it modulates synaptic transmission and plasticity. Here, we review current knowledge on the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade and the potential mechanisms involved in this regulation. Also we discuss the evidence supporting that the canonical Wnt pathway is part of the signaling mechanisms involved in the regulation of neurogenesis in different physiological conditions. Finally, some unsolved questions regarding the Wnt-mediated regulation of neurogenesis are discussed.
在成人的大脑中，新的神经元主要在两个区域不断产生，分别是侧脑室的室下区（SVZ）和海马齿状回的颗粒下区（SGZ）。在 SGZ 中，放射状神经干细胞（NSCs）产生颗粒细胞，这些细胞整合到海马回路中，与海马的可塑性有关。神经发生的丧失会损害学习和记忆，这表明这个过程对成年海马体的功能很重要。成体神经发生受到多种信号通路的严格调控，包括经典的 Wnt/β-连环蛋白通路。该通路在神经元回路的发育过程中起着重要作用，在成年大脑中，它调节突触传递和可塑性。在这里，我们回顾了 Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号级联在调节成年海马神经发生中的最新知识，以及涉及这种调节的潜在机制。此外，我们还讨论了支持经典 Wnt 途径是不同生理条件下调节神经发生的信号机制的一部分的证据。最后，讨论了与 Wnt 介导的神经发生调节相关的一些未解决的问题。
