Brian John Nieman1,2, Jeffrey Y. Shyu1, Joe J. Rodriguez1, Daniel H. Turnbull1,2
1Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; 2Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
Neural progenitor cells from the subventricular zone are of particular importance for replacing interneurons in the olfactory bulb throughout life and may hold therapeutic potential following brain injury. We investigated the migratory capacity of these cells by longitudinal MRI after endogenous labeling with micron-sized particles of iron-oxide. Cells were observed to move as fast 109 μm/hr in the rostral migratory stream, but more slowly as they distribute through the bulb over the course of three weeks. In the bulb, we observed that most labeled cells were neuronal.