Several aspects of different nervous system pathologies could be dissected by use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), obtained directly from patients carrying pathogenic gene mutations and differentiated into human neurons. Recent developments of iPSCs derived human neuronal cultures now allow differentiation of selected neuronal subtypes to investigate cell-specific phenotypes and generation of 3D neuronal cultures (brain organoids) to study complex neurodevelopmental processes as neuronal migration, connectivity and function
Neuronal reprogramming for the study of central nervous system disorders
New technical approach: Brain organoids grown up on liquid air interfaces and combined with microglia
Scientists: Benfenati F., Corradi A., Fassio A., Sterlini B.
Keywords: brain organoids, synaptic genes, induced pluripotent stem cells, disease models, neurodevelopment