Diabetes and Stem Cell Function

Figure 1

The schematic diagram of regulation of adult neurogenesis by insulin/IGFs and Wnt signals. Adult neural stem cells (NSCs) are primarily located in two distinct regions of the brain: the SVZ of the lateral ventricles and the SGZ of hippocampal dentate gyrus. In the SGZ, adult NSCs undergo proliferation, fate specification, maturation, migration, and eventual integration into the preexisting neural circuitry. In the SVZ, adult NSCs give rise to neuroblasts, which migrate into the olfactory bulb through rostral migratory stream (RMS) and differentiate into mature local interneurons. The progression of NSCs to mature neurons in adult SVZ and SGZ is multistep process with distinct stages and is controlled by insulin/IGFs and Wnts. Diabetes inhibits insulin/IGFs and Wnts signaling in adult neurogenesis, which lead to the decline of adult neurogenesis, while physical exercise may recover diabetes-induced inactivation of Insulin/IGF and Wnt signaling. NSCs, neural stem cells, SVZ, subventricular zone, and SGZ, subgranular zone.