Adult neurogenesis and the molecular signalling pathways in brain: the role of stem cells in adult hippocampal neurogenesis

Molecular signalling pathways are an evolutionarily conserved multifaceted pathway that can control diverse cellular processes. The role of signalling pathways in regulating development and tissue homeostasis as well as hippocampal neurogenesis is needed to study in detail. In the adult brain, the Notch signalling pathway, in collaboration with the Wnt/β-catenin, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and sonic hedgehog (Shh) molecular signalling pathways, are involved in stem cell regulation in the hippocampal formation, and they also control the plasticity of the neural stem cells (NSCs) or neural progenitor cells (NPCs) which involved in neurogenesis processes. Here we discuss the distinctive roles of molecular signalling pathways involved in the generation of new neurons from a pool of NSCs in the adult brain. Our approach will facilitate the understanding of the molecular signalling mechanism of hippocampal neurogenesis during NSCs development in the adult brain using molecular aspects coupled with cell biological and physiological analysis.