Physiological effect of cytokines on adult neurogenesis: a focus on in vivo knock-out studies
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Cytokines, central mediators of immune signaling, have emerged as pivotal regulators of neural stem cell (NSC) biology. Once regarded as immune-privileged, the central nervous system is now recognized as a dynamic site of immune-neural interaction, where meningeal and parenchymal immune cells modulate neurogenesis and brain plasticity through cytokine release. This review synthesizes current quantitative evidence on the effects of key cytokines including IL-6, FGF2, IL-15, IL-22, IL-10, and TNF-α on mouse NSCs studied exclusively in knockout models in vivo . This approach allows for a clearer understanding of their physiological roles, minimizing artefacts associated with in vitro systems, overexpression models, or inflammatory contexts, and focusing instead on their homeostatic functions. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that cytokine signaling profoundly influences NSC fate, proliferation, and differentiation. Importantly, by mapping cytokine expression within the dentate gyrus, the subventricular zone neurogenic niches, and the meninges, we put forward the provocative idea that brain borders are major sources of these factors, rather than the dentate gyrus itself. Understanding how immune-derived cues shape the NSC niche is critical for uncovering mechanisms underlying brain function, plasticity, and repair, with potential implications for neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders. • The meninges function as an active immunoregulatory interface for NSCs in the DG and SVZ. • Neurogenic niches rely on external cytokine inputs rather than local production. • DG and SVZ share a conserved, low-cytokine intrinsic landscape. • Adult neurogenesis is shaped by immune signals produced outside the brain parenchyma. • Computational integration of border and niche datasets exposes extrinsic control mechanisms.
Source: Cells and Development
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,450
OpenAlex ID: W7127373445