3D Reconstitution of the Neural Stem Cell Niche: Connecting the Dots

Konstantinos Ioannidis; Ioannis Angelopoulos; Georgios Gakis; Nikolaos Karantzelis; Georgios A Spyroulias; Zoi Lygerou; Stavros Taraviras

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2021.705470

3D Reconstitution of the Neural Stem Cell Niche: Connecting the Dots

Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2021 Oct 28:9:705470. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.705470. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Konstantinos Ioannidis^{1

2}, Ioannis Angelopoulos¹, Georgios Gakis¹, Nikolaos Karantzelis^{1

3}, Georgios A Spyroulias⁴, Zoi Lygerou⁵, Stavros Taraviras¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
² Department of Development and Regeneration, Prometheus Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
³ Department of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
⁴ School of Pharmacy, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
⁵ Department of General Biology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.

Abstract

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are important constituents of the nervous system, and they become constrained in two specific regions during adulthood: the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus. The SVZ niche is a limited-space zone where NSCs are situated and comprised of growth factors and extracellular matrix (ECM) components that shape the microenvironment of the niche. The interaction between ECM components and NSCs regulates the equilibrium between self-renewal and differentiation. To comprehend the niche physiology and how it controls NSC behavior, it is fundamental to develop in vitro models that resemble adequately the physiologic conditions present in the neural stem cell niche. These models can be developed from a variety of biomaterials, along with different biofabrication approaches that permit the organization of neural cells into tissue-like structures. This review intends to update the most recent information regarding the SVZ niche physiology and the diverse biofabrication approaches that have been used to develop suitable microenvironments ex vivo that mimic the NSC niche physiology.

Keywords: 3D organotypic models; neural stem cells (NSC); organ on a chip (OCC); stem cell niche; subventricular zone (SVZ).

Publication types

Review