Further, we investigated the essential responsiveness of the aDRG NSC to fate-determining neurotrophins during normal early development including nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The effect of neurotrophins on modulating sensory differentiation, including the expression of the capsaicin receptor TrpV1 and neuronal maturity were evaluated. Finally, to investigate the potentiality in vivo, aDRG NSCs were transfected with red fluorescent protein (RFP) and transplanted into the injured spinal cord. Multipotency and their sensory phenotypes were similarly analyzed. The series of analyses together revealed that the peripheral sensory neuron is far more conserved in stem cell potency than the known stem cells preserved in the CNS.
