Skip to main content
Dryad

Data from: Neuronal migration depends on blood flow in the adult mammalian brain

Ogino, Takashi1; Sawamoto, Kazunobu1

Research facility: National Institute for Physiological Sciences
Published Oct 27, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dncjsxmcb

Data files

Oct 27, 2025 version files 69.43 KB

Click names to download individual files

Abstract

In animal tissues, several cell types migrate along blood vessels, raising the possibility that blood flow influences cell migration. Here, we show that blood flow promotes the migration of new olfactory-bulb neurons in the adult brain. Neuronal migration is facilitated by blood flow, leading to the accumulation of new neurons near blood vessels with abundant blood flow. Blood flow inhibition attenuates blood vessel-guided neuronal migration, suggesting that blood contains factors beneficial to neuronal migration. We found that ghrelin, which is increased in the blood by hunger, directly influences neuronal migration. Ghrelin signaling promotes somal translocation by activating actin cytoskeleton contraction at the rear of the cell soma. New neurons mature in the olfactory bulb and contribute to the olfactory function for sensing odorants from food. Finally, we show that neuronal migration is increased by calorie restriction and that ghrelin signaling is involved in the process. This study suggests that blood flow promotes neuronal migration through blood-derived ghrelin signaling in the adult brain, which could be one of the mechanisms that improve the olfactory function for food-seeking behavior during starvation.