What distinguishes neural stem cell niches from other parts of the brain? Why do only these niches contain neural stem cells and the rest of the brain does not? So far, we did not know what gives the niches their special function. Also, little was known about factors allowing the integration of new neurons into existing networks in the adult brain. A comparison of the proteome of neural stem cell niches and the region in which new neurons integrate with the remaining part of the brain, aimed to shed light about the unique niche environment allowing neurogenesis in the otherwise non-permissive adult mammalian brain.

This was investigated by SyNergy member Magdalena Götz, Head of the Institute for Physiological Genomics in LMU‘s Biomedical Center and Director of the Institute of Stem Cell Research at the Helmholtz Center Munich, and her team.