Abstract
The p53 family member p73 is essential for brain development, but its precise role and scope remain unclear. Global p73 deficiency determines an overt and highly penetrant brain phenotype marked by cortical hypoplasia with ensuing hydrocephalus and hippocampal dysgenesis. The ΔNp73 isoform is known to function as a prosurvival factor of mature postmitotic neurons. In this study, we define a novel essential role of p73 in the regulation of the neural stem cell compartment. In both embryonic and adult neurogenesis, p73 has a critical role in maintaining an adequate neurogenic pool by promoting self-renewal and proliferation and inhibiting premature senescence of neural stem and early progenitor cells. Thus, products of the p73 gene locus are essential maintenance factors in the central nervous system, whose broad action stretches across the entire differentiation arch from stem cells to mature postmitotic neurons.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1816-1829 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Cell Death and Differentiation |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- adult neurogenesis
- embryonic neurogenesis
- neural stem cells
- p73
- p73 isoforms
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology