ABSTRACT
Various extrinsic and intrinsic metabolic cues regulate the balance between self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells. These cues are encoded by dynamic changes in the ratios of multiple redox couples and energy carriers that define a specific intracellular environment. Epigenetic regulators are increasingly recognized as the relevant modulators in the development of the nervous system. The redox-sensitive histone/protein deacetylase Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a key sensor at the crossroad of energy metabolism and redox changes that translates metabolic signals into chromatin reprogramming and provides a transcriptional response. Here, we discuss the emerging functions of SIRT1 in the relief of redox-dependent mechanisms of self-renewal and lineage commitment of embryonic and neural stem cells as well as longevity.
