ABSTRACT
Understanding the genetic basis of brain function is a daunting task given the enormous complexity of the central nervous system (CNS). Brain stem cells divide daily and efficiently for at least the first month of culture. The ability of CNS stem cells to grow at single-cell density allows for clonal analysis, the most stringent test for multipotency in stem cells. Culture techniques for propagation and differentiation of stem cells derived from the adult brain closely match the conditions for fetal CNS stem cells. CNS stem cells are particularly well suited as an in vitro assay system to identify factors that control neural fate. CNS stem-cell technology has matured to the level where routine drug testing as well as in vitro genetic screens might become routine. The dissection of molecular signals that control stem-cell differentiation and the use of CNS stem cells as a tool for drug testing and gene discovery will greatly profit from the advances in genomic sciences.
