The carotid body, a neurogenic niche in the adult peripheral nervous system.

We have described a new population of adult neural stem cells residing in the carotid body, a chemoreceptor organ in the peripheral nervous system. These progenitor cells support neurogenesis in vivo in response to physiological stimuli like hypoxemia, and give rise to multipotent neurospheres in culture. Studying the biology of CB stem cells helps to understand the physiological adaptations of the organ, and might shed light on the pathogenesis of CB tumors. Understanding proliferation and differentiation of these cells will enable their use for cell therapy against neurodegenerative diseases.