Epithelial Cells Supply Sonic Hedgehog to the Perinatal Dentate Gyrus via Transport by Platelets

The study revealed that Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) ligand, secreted by hair follicle cells, was transported to the perinatal dentate gyrus in the hippocampus via platelets through a leaky blood-brain barrier, which was essential for maintaining hippocampal stem cell populations and neurogenesis. Using mouse models, the research highlighted the novel role of platelets in transporting growth factors to the brain. However, reviewers expressed concerns about the specificity of the Cre drivers and the interpretation of Shh packaging and release mechanisms, recommending additional data to confirm the findings and prevent overinterpretation.