Generation of cerebral cortical GABAergic interneurons from pluripotent stem cells

Cortical interneurons are inhibitory GABAergic neurons that originate in the caudal or medial ganglionic eminences (MGE) of the embryonic subcortical telencephalon, then migrate into the cortex. Differentiation conditions mimicking developmental signals found in the telencephalon are used to generate interneurons from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem cell derived interneurons should be validated by migratory capacity, morphology, gene and protein expression, and electrophysiology. AbstractThe cerebral cortex functions by the complex interactions of intrinsic and extrinsic neuronal activities, glial actions, and the effects of humoral factors. The intrinsic neuronal influences are mediated by two major subclasses, excitatory glutamatergic neurons that generally have axonal projections extending beyond the neuron's locality, and inhibitory GABAergic neurons that generally project locally. These interneurons can be grouped based on morphological, neurochemical, electrophysiological, axonal targeting, and circuit influence characteristics. Cortical interneurons can also be grouped based on their origins within the subcortical telencephalon. Interneuron subtypes, of which a dozen or more are thought to exist, are characterized by combinations of these subgrouping features. Due to their well ‐documented relevance to the causes of and treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders, and to their remarkable capacity to migrate extensively following transplantation, ther...
Source: Stem Cells - Category: Stem Cells Authors: Tags: Embryonic Stem Cells/Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Source Type: research