@article{VoelkerVoelkerEngertetal.2021,
  author    = {Voelker, Johannes and Voelker, Christine and Engert, Jonas and Goemann, Nikolas and Hagen, Rudolf and Rak, Kristen},
  title     = {Spontaneous Calcium Oscillations through Differentiation: A Calcium Imaging Analysis of Rat Cochlear Nucleus Neural Stem Cells},
  series = {Cells},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {Cells},
  number    = {10},
  issn      = {2073-4409},
  doi       = {10.3390/cells10102802},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-248482},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Causal therapies for the auditory-pathway and inner-ear diseases are still not yet available for clinical application. Regenerative medicine approaches are discussed and examined as possible therapy options. Neural stem cells could play a role in the regeneration of the auditory pathway. In recent years, neural stem and progenitor cells have been identified in the cochlear nucleus, the second nucleus of the auditory pathway. The current investigation aimed to analyze cell maturation concerning cellular calcium activity. Cochlear nuclei from PND9 CD rats were microscopically dissected and propagated as neurospheres in free-floating cultures in stem-cell medium (Neurobasal, B27, GlutaMAX, EGF, bFGF). After 30 days, the dissociation and plating of these cells took place under withdrawal of the growth factors and the addition of retinoic acid, which induces neural cell differentiation. Calcium imaging analysis with BAPTA-1/Oregon Green was carried out at different times during the differentiation phase. In addition, the influence of different voltage-dependent calcium channels was analyzed through the targeted application of inhibitors of the L-, N-, R- and T-type calcium channels. For this purpose, comparative examinations were performed on CN NSCs, and primary CN neurons. As the cells differentiated, a significant increase in spontaneous neuronal calcium activity was demonstrated. In the differentiation stage, specific frequencies of the spontaneous calcium oscillations were measured in different regions of the individual cells. Initially, the highest frequency of spontaneous calcium oscillations was ascertainable in the maturing somata. Over time, these were overtaken by calcium oscillations in the axons and dendrites. Additionally, in the area of the growth cones, an increasing activity was determined. By inhibiting voltage-dependent calcium channels, their expression and function in the differentiation process were confirmed. A comparable pattern of maturation of these channels was found in CN NSCs and primary CN neurons. The present results show that neural stem cells of the rat cochlear nucleus differentiated not only morphologically but also functionally. Spontaneous calcium activities are of great relevance in terms of neurogenesis and integration into existing neuronal structures. These functional aspects of neurogenesis within the auditory pathway could serve as future targets for the exogenous control of neuronal regeneration.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{EngertSpahnBieniussaetal.2023,
  author    = {Engert, Jonas and Spahn, Bjoern and Bieniussa, Linda and Hagen, Rudolf and Rak, Kristen and Voelker, Johannes},
  title     = {Neurogenic stem cell niche in the auditory Thalamus: in vitro evidence of neural stem cells in the rat medial geniculate body},
  series = {Life},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {Life},
  number    = {5},
  issn      = {2075-1729},
  doi       = {10.3390/life13051188},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-319387},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {The medial geniculate body (MGB) is a nucleus of the diencephalon representing a relevant segment of the auditory pathway and is part of the metathalamus. It receives afferent information via the inferior brachium of the inferior colliculus and transmits efferent fibers via acoustic radiations to the auditory cortex. Neural stem cells (NSCs) have been detected in certain areas along the auditory pathway. They are of great importance as the induction of an adult stem cell niche might open a regenerative approach to a causal treatment of hearing disorders. Up to now, the existence of NSCs in the MGB has not been determined. Therefore, this study investigated whether the MGB has a neural stem cell potential. For this purpose, cells were extracted from the MGB of PND 8 Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured in a free-floating cell culture assay, which showed mitotic activity and positive staining for stem cell and progenitor markers. In differentiation assays, the markers β-III-tubulin, GFAP, and MBP demonstrated the capacity of single cells to differentiate into neuronal and glial cells. In conclusion, cells from the MGB exhibited the cardinal features of NSCs: self-renewal, the formation of progenitor cells, and differentiation into all neuronal lineage cells. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the development of the auditory pathway.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{EngertRakBieniussaetal.2021,
  author    = {Engert, Jonas and Rak, Kristen and Bieniussa, Linsa and Scholl, Miriam and Hagen, Rudolf and V{\"o}lker, Johannes},
  title     = {Evaluation of the Neurogenic Potential in the Rat Inferior Colliculus from Early Postnatal Days Until Adulthood},
  series = {Molecular Neurobiology},
  volume    = {58},
  journal   = {Molecular Neurobiology},
  issn      = {0893-7648},
  doi       = {10.1007/s12035-020-02151-6},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-235811},
  pages     = {719-734},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Neural stem cells (NSCs) have been recently identified in the inferior colliculus (IC). These cells are of particular interest, as no casual therapeutic options for impaired neural structures exist. This research project aims to evaluate the neurogenic potential in the rat IC from early postnatal days until adulthood. The IC of rats from postnatal day 6 up to 48 was examined by neurosphere assays and histological sections. In free-floating IC cell cultures, neurospheres formed from animals from early postnatal to adulthood. The amount of generated neurospheres decreased in older ages and increased with the number of cell line passages. Cells in the neurospheres and the histological sections stained positively with NSC markers (Doublecortin, Sox-2, Musashi-1, Nestin, and Atoh1). Dissociated single cells from the neurospheres differentiated and were stained positively for the neural lineage markers β-III-tubulin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and myelin basic protein. In addition, NSC markers (Doublecortin, Sox-2, CDK5R1, and Ascl-1) were investigated by qRT-PCR. In conclusion, a neurogenic potential in the rat IC was detected and evaluated from early postnatal days until adulthood. The identification of NSCs in the rat IC and their age-specific characteristics contribute to a better understanding of the development and the plasticity of the auditory pathway and might be activated for therapeutic use.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Engert2022,
  author    = {Engert, Jonas},
  title     = {Untersuchung neuronaler Stammzellen des Colliculus inferior der Ratte im zeitlichen Verlauf},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-28264},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-282642},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Neural stem cells (NSCs) have been recently identified in the inferior colliculus (IC). These cells are of particular interest, as no casual therapeutic options for impaired neural structures exist. This research project aims to evaluate the neurogenic potential in the rat IC from early postnatal days until adulthood. The IC of rats from postnatal day 6 up to 48 was examined by neurosphere assays and histological sections. In free-floating IC cell cultures, neurospheres formed from animals from early postnatal to adulthood. The amount of generated neurospheres decreased in older ages and increased with the number of cell line passages. Cells in the neurospheres and the histological sections stained positively with NSC markers (Doublecortin, Sox-2, Musashi-1, Nestin, and Atoh1). Dissociated single cells from the neurospheres differentiated and were stained positively for the neural lineage markers β-III-tubulin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and myelin basic protein. In addition, NSC markers (Doublecortin, Sox-2, CDK5R1, and Ascl-1) were investigated by qRT-PCR. In conclusion, a neurogenic potential in the rat IC was detected and evaluated from early postnatal days until adulthood. The identification of NSCs in the rat IC and their age-specific characteristics contribute to a better understanding of the development and the plasticity of the auditory pathway and might be activated for therapeutic use.},
  subject      = {Colliculus inferior},
  language  = {de}
}