Stem Cell Research

Proof Of Principal Induced Neural Progenitor Stem Cell Solution To Parkinson's Disease

For the first time, researchers have transplanted neural cells derived from a monkey's skin into its brain and watched the cells develop into several types of mature brain cells.

In the research, iPS cells were converted into neural progenitor cells. The intermediate-stage cells have the ability to further specialize into  neurons that carry nerve signals, and glial cells that perform support and nutritional functions. This final stage of maturation occurred inside the three rhesus monkeys used in the experiment.

The rhesus monkeys used in the study at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center had a lesion in a brain region that causes the movement disorder Parkinson's disease, which afflicts up to 1 million Americans. Parkinson's is caused by the death of a small number of neurons that make dopamine, a signaling chemical used in the brain.

Adapted from the University of Wisconsin announcement. Read further here.

Blood-Brain Barrier Building Blocks Generated From Human Stem Cells

The blood-brain barrier -- the filter that governs what can and cannot come into contact with the mammalian brain -- is a marvel of nature. It effectively separates circulating blood from the fluid that bathes the brain, and it keeps out bacteria, viruses and other agents that could damage it.

However, the barrier can be disrupted by disease, stroke and multiple sclerosis, for example, and also is a big challenge for medicine, as it can be difficult or impossible to get therapeutic molecules through the barrier to treat neurological disorders.

Now researchers have transformed stem cells into endothelial cells with blood-brain barrier qualities in a laboratory dish in an attempt to get the blood-brain barrier to share its secrets.

“The nice thing about deriving endothelial cells from induced pluripotent stem cells is that you can make disease-specific models of brain tissue that incorporate the blood-brain barrier,” explains Sean Palecek, a UW-Madison professor of chemical and biological engineering. “The cells you create will carry the genetic information of the condition you want to study.”

First Step in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Replacement Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease Undertaken

Japanese researchers have found induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to be a promising avenue for cell replacement therapy in neurologic diseases. Mouse and human iPSCs have been used to generate dopaminergic (DA) neurons that demonstrate improved symptoms in rat Parkinson’s disease models. 

 “We developed a series of methods to induce human iPSCs to become NPCs, using a feeder-free culture method, and grafted NPCs at different stages of differentiation into the brain of a monkey PD model,” said Jun Takahashi, MD, PhD, of Kyoto University. “We developed a method to evaluate the growth and DA activity of the grafts using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), immunocytochemistry, and behavioral analyses, all of which will be useful in preclinical research.”