research-article

You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Direct-Current Electrical Field Guides Neuronal Stem/Progenitor Cell Migration

  1. Lei Li1,2,
  2. Youssef H. El-Hayek1,
  3. Baosong Liu1,
  4. Yonghong Chen1,
  5. Everlyne Gomez1,
  6. Xiaohua Wu1,2,
  7. Ke Ning1,
  8. Lijun Li1,
  9. Ning Chang1,
  10. Liang Zhang1,
  11. Zhengguo Wang2,
  12. Xiang Hu3,
  13. Qi Wan M.D., Ph.D.1,4,*

Article first published online: 12 JUN 2008

DOI: 10.1634/stemcells.2007-1022

Issue

STEM CELLS

STEM CELLS

Volume 26, Issue 8, pages 2193–2200, August 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Li, L., El-Hayek, Y. H., Liu, B., Chen, Y., Gomez, E., Wu, X., Ning, K., Li, L., Chang, N., Zhang, L., Wang, Z., Hu, X. and Wan, Q. (2008), Direct-Current Electrical Field Guides Neuronal Stem/Progenitor Cell Migration. STEM CELLS, 26: 2193–2200. doi: 10.1634/stemcells.2007-1022

Author Information

  1. 1

    Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  2. 2

    Research Institute of Surgery and Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury of China, Chongqing, People's Republic of China

  3. 3

    Beike Biotech Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, People's Republic of China

  4. 4

    Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA

*Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557-0271, USA. Telephone: 775-784-4352; Fax: 775-784-6903

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 JAN 2009
  2. Article first published online: 12 JUN 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 30 MAY 2008
  4. Manuscript Received: 5 DEC 2007

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article with Supporting Information (HTML) Get PDF (2118K)

Keywords:

  • Direct-current electrical fields;
  • Neuronal stem/progenitor cells;
  • Migration;
  • N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptor;
  • GTPase

Abstract

Direct-current electrical fields (EFs) promote nerve growth and axon regeneration. We report here that at physiological strengths, EFs guide the migration of neuronal stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) toward the cathode. EF-directed NSPC migration requires activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), which leads to an increased physical association of Rho GTPase Rac1-associated signals to the membrane NMDARs and the intracellular actin cytoskeleton. Thus, this study identifies the EF as a directional guidance cue in controlling NSPC migration and reveals a role of the NMDAR/Rac1/actin signal transduction pathway in mediating EF-induced NSPC migration. These results suggest that as a safe physical approach in clinical application, EFs may be developed as a practical therapeutic strategy for brain repair by directing NSPC migration to the injured brain regions to replace cell loss.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.

View Full Article with Supporting Information (HTML) Get PDF (2118K)