Exploitation of genetically modified neural stem cells for neurological disease.

The successful treatment and potential treatment of the central nervous system (CNS) pathology remains the most challenging frontier in medical science. The clinical modalities presently available are mostly of limited efficacy and with the aging population, neurodegerative diseases and CNS neoplasms are increasingly prevalent. Neural stem cells (NSCs) have provided optimism for the horizon of therapeutic progress in treating neurological diseases. These mutipotent (able to differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) cells can be obtained directly from the CNS or derived from of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). NSCs can be genetically manipulated in vitro to express desired transgenes for improved expandability, as well as for delivery of toxic payloads. NSCs also demonstrate the ability to engraft within the CNS, migrate to CNS pathology and in certain scenarios to reconstitute the injured or diseased nervous system.