Abstract
Here we present the principles and steps of a protocol that we have recently developed for the differentiation of hES/iPS cells into the authentic human striatal projection medium spiny neurons (MSNs) that die in Huntington’s Disease (HD). Authenticity is judged by the convergence of multiple features within individual cells. Our procedure lasts 80 days and couples neural induction via BMP/TGF-β inhibition with exposure to the developmental factors sonic hedgehog (SHH) and dickkopf1 (DKK-1) to drive ventral telencephalic specification, followed by terminal differentiation [1]. Authenticity of the resulting neuronal population is monitored by the appearance of FOXG1+/GSX2+ progenitor cells of the lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE) at day 15–25 of differentiation, followed by appearance of CTIP2-, FOXP1- and FOXP2-positive cells at day 45. These precursor cells then mature into MAP2+/GABA+ neurons with 20 % of them ultimately co-expressing the DARPP-32 and CTIP2 diagnostic markers and carrying electrophysiological properties expected for fully functional MSNs.
The protocol is characterized by its replicability in at least three human pluripotent cell lines. Altogether this protocol defines a useful platform for in vitro developmental neurobiology studies, drug screening, and regenerative medicine approaches.
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Acknowledgments
Several other authors have participated in the original paper (Delli Carri et al., [9]). The authors list in this paper accounts for those that have designed and validated the protocol. The research described in our original paper (Delli Carri et al., [9]) and leading to the protocol herein detailed has received funding from NeuroStemcell, European Union Seventh Framework Programme grant agreement n° 222943, partially from the Ministero dell’Istruzione dell’Università e della Ricerca [MIUR, 2008JKSHKN] and from Cure Huntington's Disease Initiative (CHDI) ID: A-4529 to E.C. and by Fondo per gli Investimenti della Ricerca di Base [FIRB, RBFR10A01S] to M.O.; A.F. was supported by a Marie Curie fellowship. We acknowledge the important contribution of Tavola Valdese (2007–2010) and the support of Unicredit Banca S.p.A. (Italy). We also thank the families of HD patients for their continuous support.
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Alessia Delli Carri and Marco Onorati contributed equally to this work.
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Delli Carri, A., Onorati, M., Castiglioni, V. et al. Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation into Authentic Striatal Projection Neurons. Stem Cell Rev and Rep 9, 461–474 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-013-9441-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-013-9441-8