OBJECTIVETo review recent studies concerning the origins of skin-derived precursors (SKPs), their differentiation characteristics, and their potential application in neural regenerative medicine.

DATA SOURCESData were retrieved from studies reported in PubMed published between April, 1974 and June, 2012. The search terms used were "skin-derived precursors", "stem cells", and "neural diseases".

STUDY SELECTIONArticles were included in the review if they were relevant to SKPs as stem cells, as well as their applications in neural regenerative medicine, such as in the treatment of spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease, spinal muscular atrophy and Shah-Waardenburg syndrome.

RESULTSSKPs are a novel population of neural crest-derived precursors that arise during embryogenesis and persist into adulthood. They can generate both neural cells and mesodermal lineage cells (including smooth muscle cells and adipocytes). Compared with other stem cells, SKPs are abundant in adult skin, can differentiate easily into neural cells, and are not associated with any ethical controversies.

CONCLUSIONSKPs may provide an alternative source of stem cells to embryonic stem cells for transplantation therapy for neurological diseases.