Neuronal differentiation of EGF-propagated neurosphere cells after engraftment to the nucleus of the solitary tract

Neural precursor cells expanded with epidermal growth factor (EGF) exhibit multipotentiality in vitro, but they differentiate predominantly as glial phenotypes after their transplantation in vivo. Here we demonstrate that EGF-propagated precursors from the murine striatal subventricular zone can exhibit robust incorporation and neuronal differentiation within the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) after injection into the cisterna magna of neonatal or young adult mice. About two-third of engrafted cells appeared NeuN positive in the region of the gelatinous subnucleus, a region notable for its lack of myelinated fibers. The NST may provide a useful model for understanding the physiological and metabolic regulation of postnatal neurogenesis.