Directed differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells generates active motor neurons.
The potential for directed differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to functional postmitotic neuronal phenotypes is unknown. Following methods shown to be effective at generating motor neurons from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), we found that once specified to a neural lineage, human iPS cells could be differentiated to form motor neurons with a similar efficiency as hESCs. Human iPS-derived cells appeared to follow a normal developmental progression associated with motor neuron formation and possessed prototypical electrophysiological properties. This is the first demonstration that human iPS-derived cells are able to generate electrically active motor neurons. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using iPS-derived motor neuron progenitors and motor neurons in regenerative medicine applications and in vitro modeling of motor neuron diseases.
Karumbayaram
Saravanan
S
Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Novitch
Bennett G
BG
Patterson
Michaela
M
Umbach
Joy A
JA
Richter
Laura
L
Lindgren
Anne
A
Conway
Anne E
AE
Clark
Amander T
AT
Goldman
Steve A
SA
Plath
Kathrin
K
Wiedau-Pazos
Martina
M
Kornblum
Harley I
HI
Lowry
William E
WE
D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D019070:Cell Lineage; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D044968:Regenerative Medicine