Stem cell factor is a chemoattractant and a survival factor for CNS stem cells

Migration of neural cells to their final positions is crucial for the correct formation of the central nervous system. Several extrinsic factors are known to be involved in the regulation of neural migration. We asked if stem cell factor (SCF), well known as a chemoattractant and survival factor in the hematopoietic lineage, could elicit similar responses in neural stem cells. For that purpose, a microchemotaxis assay was used to study the effect of SCF on migration of neural stem cells from the embryonic rat cortex. Our results show that SCF-induced chemotaxis and that specific antibodies to SCF or tyrosine kinase inhibitors abolished the migratory response. The SCF-receptor, Kit, was expressed in neural stem cells and in their differentiated progeny. We also show that SCF is a survival factor, but not a mitogen or a differentiation factor for neural stem cells. These data suggest a role for SCF in cell migration and survival in the developing cortex.