neural stem cell

A neural stem cell is a kind of starter cell for the nervous system — an unspecialized cell that can do two remarkable things at once. First, it can copy itself, making more cells just like it, so the supply never runs out. Second, it can give birth to the specialized working cells of the brain: neurons, the cells that carry electrical signals, and glia, the helper cells that feed, insulate, and protect those neurons. Think of it like a master baker who can both train new bakers (more stem cells) and bake the actual bread (the finished brain cells).

Most of these cells do their busiest work before birth, when they build the entire brain from a tiny sheet of tissue, churning out billions of neurons in a carefully timed sequence. A few quiet pockets of neural stem cells survive into adulthood, tucked into specific corners of the brain, where they can still produce a trickle of new neurons throughout life. Because they can both renew themselves and become any cell type the brain needs, scientists study them closely, hoping one day to coax them into repairing damage from stroke, injury, or disease.