Sheikh Amin A, Mohamed Adel
University of Saskatchewan.
Biomed Sci Instrum. 2015;51:309-14.
Ependymal Cells are a type of Glial Cell lining the ventricles and central canal of the spinal cord. Their primary function is to secrete and circulate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Neural stem cells (NSC) exist within the ependymal lining that are capable of neurogenesis. Historically it was thought that neurogenesis only occurred prenatally and that adult ependymal cells are incapable of regeneration. It is now known that primary neurogenic areas within the Central Nervous System (CNS) are located within the lateral ventricle and hippocampus. Recent studies have demonstrated that ependymal cells lining the central cord canal possess dormant neural stem cells capable of differentiation following Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Recent research has focused on strategies to modulate cellular proliferation and differentiation in the spinal cord. In SCI these cells have the propensity to migrate to the site of damage and differentiate into astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Ependymal cells are also capable of migrating into the hypothalamus and undergo proliferation. Neurological insult such as SCI leads the oxidative stress response, inflammation and subsequent activation of ependymal cells into astrocytes that are the bodys way to regenerate and heal. The presence or absence of astrocytes, neuronal growth factors, non-neuronal growth factors, microtubule and microtubule activating proteins are factors which promote cell survival and terminal differentiation of neurons.
室管膜细胞是一种神经胶质细胞，衬于脑室和脊髓中央管内。它们的主要功能是分泌和循环脑脊液（CSF）。室管膜衬里中存在能够进行神经发生的神经干细胞（NSC）。历史上人们认为神经发生仅发生在产前，而成人室管膜细胞无法再生。现在已知中枢神经系统（CNS）内的主要神经发生区域位于侧脑室和海马体。最近的研究表明，脊髓中央管内衬的室管膜细胞拥有在脊髓损伤（SCI）后能够分化的休眠神经干细胞。最近的研究集中在调节脊髓中细胞增殖和分化的策略上。在脊髓损伤中，这些细胞倾向于迁移到损伤部位并分化为星形胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞。室管膜细胞也能够迁移到下丘脑并进行增殖。诸如脊髓损伤之类的神经损伤会引发氧化应激反应、炎症以及随后室管膜细胞激活转化为星形胶质细胞，这是身体再生和愈合的方式。星形胶质细胞、神经元生长因子、非神经元生长因子、微管和微管激活蛋白的存在与否是促进神经元细胞存活和终末分化的因素。
