Dll1 maintains quiescence of adult neural stem cellsand segregates asymmetrically during mitosis

摘要

Stem cells often divide asymmetrically to produce one stem cell and one differentiating cell,thus maintaining the stem cell pool. Although neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult mousesubventricular zone have been suggested to divide asymmetrically, intrinsic cell fate determinantsfor asymmetric NSC division are largely unknown. Stem cell niches are important forstem cell maintenance, but the niche for the maintenance of adult quiescent NSCs hasremained obscure. Here we show that the Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (Dll1) is required tomaintain quiescent NSCs in the adult mouse subventricular zone. Dll1 protein is induced inactivated NSCs and segregates to one daughter cell during mitosis. Dll1-expressing cellsreside in close proximity to quiescent NSCs, suggesting a feedback signal for NSC maintenanceby their sister cells and progeny. Our data suggest a model in which NSCs producetheir own niche cells for their maintenance through asymmetric Dll1 inheritance at mitosis.