title: Stem cells in development of therapeutics for Parkinson's disease: a perspective.
abstract: Using Parkinson's disease as a prototype of neurodegenerative diseases, we propose applications of human stem cells in the development of therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. First, in vitro differentiation of human stem cells offers a versatile model for dissecting molecular interactions underlying human dopamine (DA) neuron specification, which may form a foundation for instigating regeneration of DA neurons from progenitors that reside in the brain. Second, stem cells derived from diseased cells or through genetic modification can serve as a platform for unraveling biochemical processes that lead to the cellular pathogenesis of degeneration. This may in turn serve as a template for identifying or developing therapeutics for slowing, stopping, or reversing the disease process. And finally, stem cells, particularly those induced from patients' own cells, provide a reliable source of DA neurons for cell-based therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, Institute of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Fudan University Shanghai Medical School, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jiajie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Su-Chun
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism