The adult mammalian brain retains the capacity to generate new neurons and glia, a feature that is important for learning, memory, and response to injury (1). Neural stem cells (NSCs) in germinal regions of the adult brain, such as the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, are a major source of new neurons and glia (1). Glia, including astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells, and microglia, are non-neuronal cells that play critical roles in brain function. Although the neurogenic functions of stem cells in the adult V-SVZ have been studied extensively, their gliogenic properties are less well understood. On page 1205 of this issue, Delgado et al. (2) reveal previously undescribed gliogenic origins and glial cell types in the adult mouse brain. This discovery suggests that adult gliogenesis is more widespread than previously thought, laying the groundwork for potential regenerative therapies.

成年哺乳动物大脑保留产生新神经元和神经胶质的能力，这一特征对于学习、记忆和对损伤的反应很重要 ( 1 )。成人大脑生发区域中的神经干细胞 (NSC)，例如心室-脑室下区 (V-SVZ) 和海马齿状回，是新神经元和神经胶质细胞的主要来源 ( 1 )。神经胶质，包括星形胶质细胞、少突胶质细胞、室管膜细胞和小胶质细胞，是在大脑功能中起关键作用的非神经元细胞。尽管已对成人 V-SVZ 中干细胞的神经功能进行了广泛的研究，但对其胶质生成特性的了解较少。在本期第 1205 页上，Delgado等人。( 2) 揭示了成年小鼠大脑中以前未描述的胶质细胞起源和胶质细胞类型。这一发现表明，成人胶质生成比以前认为的更广泛，为潜在的再生疗法奠定了基础。