Neural stem cells in the adult mammalian brain are the source of new neurons that contribute to complex sensory and cognitive functions. Most adult neural stem cells are maintained in a state of reversible cell cycle arrest, also called quiescence. Quiescent neural stem cells present a low rate of metabolic activity and a high sensitivity to their local signaling environment, and they can be activated by diverse physiological stimuli. The balance between stem cell quiescence and activity determines not only the rate of neurogenesis but also the long-term maintenance of the stem cell pool and the neurogenic capacity of the aging brain. In recent years, significant progress has been made in characterizing quiescent stem cells thanks to the introduction of new genomic and imaging techniques. We discuss in this review our current understanding of neural stem cell quiescence and its regulation by intrinsic and systemic factors.

成年哺乳动物大脑中的神经干细胞是有助于复杂感觉和认知功能的新神经元的来源。大多数成体神经干细胞维持在可逆的细胞周期停滞状态，也称为静止。静止的神经干细胞代谢活动率低，对其局部信号环境高度敏感，可以被多种生理刺激激活。干细胞静止和活动之间的平衡不仅决定了神经发生的速度，还决定了干细胞库的长期维持和老化大脑的神经发生能力。近年来，由于引入了新的基因组和成像技术，在表征静止干细胞方面取得了重大进展。