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Research in the Conover laboratory focuses on the age-related reparative functions of the subventricular zone, an adult stem cell niche located in the anterior forebrain. Our studies reveal that dividing subventricular zone astrocytes, the putative stem cells, actively participate in repair of the ependymal lining of the lateral wall of the lateral ventricles. We found that repair of the aging ependyma mimics the mechanism for the initial generation of the ependyma observed during development. This finding extends the regenerative functions of the adult subventricular zone to include ependymal repair – the first non-neuronal mechanism of regenerative repair identified for the stem cells of the subventricular zone niche. Neurogenesis ¬and the supply of new neurons to the olfactory bulb was previously the only acknowledged regenerative feature of the subventricular zone stem cell niche in a non-injury situation. Our research addresses a novel role for adult brain stem cells and brings to light a brain repair mechanism that if perturbed may have direct consequences in a large number of brain pathologies.
Email: joanne.conover@uconn.edu
Website: CRB Website Faculty Page
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Health-related research areas
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University of Connecticut |