Regeneration of myelin by adult neural stem cells using rodent models of neurological diseases

The myelin sheath is a specialized membrane synthesized by oligodendrocytes, which wraps around the axons of neurons in the vertebrate brain. Myelin is lost in normal aging as well as in several neurological diseases which include Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Schizophrenia. In demyelinating diseases, disruption of myelin results in severe neurological deficits due to conduction block leading to the loss of axons and ultimately neurodegeneration. The goal in treating neurological diseases with myelin loss is to remyelinate the demyelinated axons before the neurons degenerate.

Our lab focuses on how neural stem cells regenerate myelin following demyelination. Our objective is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying  proliferation, migration and differentiation of neural stem cells into myelinating oligodendrocytes to help develop  therapeutic strategies for remyelination.

Live imaging of primary adult neural stem cells showing migration and cell division of Gli1 neural stem cell (red) along with neural stem cells infected with GFP-lentivirus (green)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

*Corresponding author

1. Radecki DZ, Wang AR, Johnson AS, Overman CA, Thatcher MM, Iyer G, Samanta J*. Gpnmb inhibits oligodendrocyte differentiation of neural stem cells by amplifying TGFβ1 signaling. BioRxiv, in revision Nature Communications.
2. Mabb AM*, Pyaram DN, Samanta J* (2026). Role of E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in Oligodendrocyte Health and Disease. ASN Neuro, PMID: 42384823
3. Mishra JS, Bhamidipati SK, Ross JR, Dangudubiyyam SV, Samanta J, Kumar S* (2025). Elevated maternal testosterone induces sex-specific neurodevelopmental changes and ASD-related behavioral phenotypes in rat offspring. Pediatric Research.  PMID: 41034646.
4. Doss GA, Radecki DZ, Kethiredy A, Reilly MJ, Pohly AE, August BK, Duncan ID, Samanta J* (2023). Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome- a progressive neurodegenerative disease, Experimental Neurology, PMID:37634698
5. Clawson ED, Radecki DZ, Samanta J* (2023). Immunofluorescence assay for demyelination, remyelination, and proliferation in an acute cuprizone mouse STAR Protocols, PMID: 36853716
6. Zotter B, Dagan O, Brady J, Baloui H, Samanta J, Salzer JL* (2022 ). Gli1 Regulates the Postnatal Acquisition of Peripheral Nerve Architecture. Journal of Neuroscience, PMID: 34772739
7. Radecki DZ, Samanta J* (2022). Endogenous neural stem cell mediated oligodendrogenesis in the adult mammalian brain. Invited review, Cells, PMID: 35805185
8. Radecki DZ, Samanta J* (2022). Isolation and culture of neural stem cells from adult mouse subventricular zone for genetic and pharmacological treatments with proliferation STAR Protocols, PMID: 35146452
9. Marzan DE, Brügger-Verdon V, West BL, Liddelow S, Samanta J, Salzer JL* (2021). Activated microglia drive demyelination via CSF1R signaling. Glia, PMID: 33620118
10. Samanta J*, Silva HM, Lafaille JJ, Salzer JL* (2021). Transcriptomic analysis of loss of Gli1 in neural stem cells responding to demyelination in the mouse brain. Scientific Data, PMID: 34711861
11. Radecki DZ, Messling H, Haggerty-Skeans JR, Bhamidipati SK, Clawson ED, Overman CA, Thatcher MM, Salzer JL, Samanta J* (2020). Relative levels of Gli1 and Gli2 determine the response of ventral neural stem cells to demyelination, Stem Cell Reports, PMID: 33125874
12. Samanta J*, Grund EM, Silva HM, Lafaille JJ, Fishell G, Salzer JL* (2015). Inhibition of Gli1 mobilizes endogenous neural stem cells for Nature, PMID: 26416758