Toll‑like receptors 2 and 4 differentially regulate the self‑renewal and differentiation of spinal cord neural precursor cells

This study explores the roles of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), specifically TLR2 and TLR4, in the development of the spinal cord. TLRs are important for the immune system's response to pathogens, but they also have a role in determining cell fate and neural differentiation. The researchers found that TLR2 and TLR4 are needed to maintain neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the spinal cord, but they have different effects on how these cells develop into specific types of neurons. Removing TLR2 slowed down neural differentiation and increased NPC self-renewal, while removing TLR4 sped up neural differentiation. These findings suggest that TLR2 and TLR4 play distinct regulatory roles in the development of the spinal cord, influencing the balance between self-renewal and differentiation of NPCs.

• 1
  Deletion of TLR2 or TLR4 significantly reduced the number of Sox2-expressing NPCs in the neonatal mouse spinal cord, indicating a role in maintaining the neural progenitor population.
• 2
  TLR2-knockout NPCs displayed enhanced self-renewal, increased proliferation and apoptosis, and delayed neural differentiation, suggesting TLR2 limits NPC proliferation and self-renewal.
• 3
  TLR4 knock-out promoted neural differentiation of NPCs without affecting proliferation, producing long projecting neurons, suggesting TLR4 maintains NPCs in an undifferentiated state.