The process of generating new functional neurons in the adult mammalian brain occurs from the local neural stem and progenitor cells and requires tight control of the progenitor cell’s activity. Several signaling pathways and intrinsic/extrinsic factors have been well studied over the last years, but recent attention has been given to the critical role of cellular metabolism in determining the functional properties of progenitor cells. Here, we review recent advances in the current understanding of when and how metabolism affects neural stem cell (NSC) behavior and subsequent neuronal differentiation and highlight the role of lipocalin-2 (LCN2), a protein involved in the control of oxidative stress, as a recently emerged regulator of NSC activity and neuronal differentiation.

在成年哺乳动物脑中产生新的功能神经元的过程是从局部神经干细胞和祖细胞发生的，并且需要严格控制祖细胞的活性。在过去的几年中，已经很好地研究了几种信号传导途径和内在/外在因素，但是最近对细胞代谢在决定祖细胞功能特性中的关键作用给予了关注。在这里，我们回顾了当前对代谢何时以及如何影响神经干细胞（NSC）行为以及随后的神经元分化的理解方面的最新进展，并着重指出了脂蛋白2（LCN2）（一种参与控制氧化应激的蛋白质）的作用， NSC活性和神经元分化的新出现的调节器。