Evidence for the Existence of Neural Stem‐Like Cells in Adult Rodent Intrinsic Cardiac Nervous Ganglia

Cardiac function is modulated by the intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICNS), which integrates autonomic signals and undergoes remodeling in pathological conditions. Here, we demonstrate that adult rodent ICNS ganglia harbor neural stem-like cells that proliferate in vitro, form neurospheres, self-renew, and generate neurons expressing βIII-tubulin and PGP 9.5. In vivo, cells expressing the stem cell marker SOX2 are detected within ICNS ganglia. Moreover, cardiac injury induced by monocrotaline increases the number of SOX2-positive cells expressing the cell cycle marker Ki67 and the number of EdU-incorporating, nestin-expressing cells within the ICNS. Together, our data provide the first evidence of neural stem-like cells in adult ICNS ganglia and suggest their potential role in cardiac neuroplasticity.