Optimizing Differentiation Protocols for Producing Dopaminergic Neurons from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering Applications

Date

2015-03-05

Authors

Robinson, Meghan
Yau, Suk-yu
Sun, Lin
Gabers, Nicole
Bibault, Emma
Christie, Brian R.
Willerth, Stephanie

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Libertas Academia Ltd

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results when the dopaminergic neurons (DNs) present in the substantia nigra necessary for voluntary motor control are depleted, making patients with this disorder ideal candidates for cell replacement therapy. Human induced pluri-potent stem cells (hiPSCs), obtained by reprogramming adult cells, possess the properties of pluripotency and immortality while enabling the possibility of patient-specific therapies. An effective cell therapy for PD requires an efficient, defined method of DN generation, as well as protection from the neuroin-flammatory environment upon engraftment. Although similar in pluripotency to human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), hiPSCs differentiate less efficiently into neuronal subtypes. Previous work has shown that treatment with guggulsterone can efficiently differentiate hESCs into DNs. Our work shows that guggulsterone is able to derive DNs from hiPSCs with comparable efficiency, and furthermore, this differentiation can be achieved inside three-dimensional fibrin scaffolds that could enhance cell survival upon engraftment.

Description

Keywords

tissue engineering, biomaterials, pluripotent stem cells, differentiation, neuroscience

Citation

Robinson et al. Optimizing Differentiation Protocols for Producing Dopaminergic Neurons from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering Applications. Biomarker Insights 2015:10(S1) 61–70