Adult neural stem cells stake their ground

• Neural stem cells retain regional identity into adulthood.
• Cerebrospinal fluid, vasculature, and neuronal activity control adult V-SVZ neurogenesis.
• New roles for chromatin modifiers and non-coding RNAs are discovered in the V-SVZ.

The birth of new neurons in the walls of the adult brain lateral ventricles has captured the attention of many neuroscientists for over 2 decades, yielding key insights into the identity and regulation of neural stem cells (NSCs). In the adult ventricular–subventricular zone (V–SVZ), NSCs are a specialized form of astrocyte that generates several types of neurons for the olfactory bulb. In this review, we discuss recent findings regarding the unique organization of the V–SVZ NSC niche, the multiple regulatory controls of neuronal production, the distinct regional identities of adult NSCs, and the epigenetic mechanisms that maintain adult neurogenesis. Understanding how V–SVZ NSCs establish and maintain lifelong neurogenesis continues to provide surprising insights into the cellular and molecular regulation of neural development.