The Function of BMP Signaling Pathway during the Central Nervous System Development

Abstract: The development of vertebrate central nervous system is a complex and precisely regulated process， which includes two key stages of neural induction and neurogenesis. It is a research focus in the field of development biology to study the molecular mechanism of the pluripotent stem cell committed differentiation to neural stem cell (NSC)， and the proliferation maintenance and differentiation of NSC. This will not only help us to learn more about the developmental process of nervous system， but also provide the theoretical basis for cell therapy of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review， we will briefly elucidate the research progresses of the function of BMP signaling pathway during the above two key processes， the neural induction (the formation of NSC) and neurogenesis (the proliferation maintenance and differentiation of NSC). Also we will discuss the cross-talk between BMP and other signaling pathways， as well as its functional molecular mechanisms.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2009.01.0001