Neural Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Nontherapeutic Applications: Toxicology, Pharmacology, and In Vitro Disease Modeling

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) derived from either blastocyst stage embryos (hESCs) or reprogrammed somatic cells (iPSCs) can provide an abundant source of human neuronal lineages that were previously sourced from human cadavers, abortuses, and discarded surgical waste. In addition to the well...

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Main Authors: May Shin Yap, Kavitha R. Nathan, Yin Yeo, Lee Wei Lim, Chit Laa Poh, Mark Richards, Wei Ling Lim, Iekhsan Othman, Boon Chin Heng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015-01-01
Series:Stem Cells International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/105172
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author May Shin Yap
Kavitha R. Nathan
Yin Yeo
Lee Wei Lim
Chit Laa Poh
Mark Richards
Wei Ling Lim
Iekhsan Othman
Boon Chin Heng
author_facet May Shin Yap
Kavitha R. Nathan
Yin Yeo
Lee Wei Lim
Chit Laa Poh
Mark Richards
Wei Ling Lim
Iekhsan Othman
Boon Chin Heng
author_sort May Shin Yap
collection DOAJ
description Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) derived from either blastocyst stage embryos (hESCs) or reprogrammed somatic cells (iPSCs) can provide an abundant source of human neuronal lineages that were previously sourced from human cadavers, abortuses, and discarded surgical waste. In addition to the well-known potential therapeutic application of these cells in regenerative medicine, these are also various promising nontherapeutic applications in toxicological and pharmacological screening of neuroactive compounds, as well as for in vitro modeling of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. Compared to alternative research models based on laboratory animals and immortalized cancer-derived human neural cell lines, neuronal cells differentiated from hPSCs possess the advantages of species specificity together with genetic and physiological normality, which could more closely recapitulate in vivo conditions within the human central nervous system. This review critically examines the various potential nontherapeutic applications of hPSC-derived neuronal lineages and gives a brief overview of differentiation protocols utilized to generate these cells from hESCs and iPSCs.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Wiley
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series Stem Cells International
spelling doaj-art-64b37606b9c6478eae4d6a858d78b7e52025-08-20T03:34:25ZengWileyStem Cells International1687-966X1687-96782015-01-01201510.1155/2015/105172105172Neural Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Nontherapeutic Applications: Toxicology, Pharmacology, and In Vitro Disease ModelingMay Shin Yap0Kavitha R. Nathan1Yin Yeo2Lee Wei Lim3Chit Laa Poh4Mark Richards5Wei Ling Lim6Iekhsan Othman7Boon Chin Heng8Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, Sunway University, No. 5 Jalan Universiti, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, Sunway University, No. 5 Jalan Universiti, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, Sunway University, No. 5 Jalan Universiti, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaDepartment of Physiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong KongDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, Sunway University, No. 5 Jalan Universiti, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaSchool of Chemical & Life Sciences, Nanyang Polytechnic, 180 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, 569830, SingaporeDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, Sunway University, No. 5 Jalan Universiti, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaJeffrey Cheah School of Medicine, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, Sunway University, No. 5 Jalan Universiti, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaHuman pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) derived from either blastocyst stage embryos (hESCs) or reprogrammed somatic cells (iPSCs) can provide an abundant source of human neuronal lineages that were previously sourced from human cadavers, abortuses, and discarded surgical waste. In addition to the well-known potential therapeutic application of these cells in regenerative medicine, these are also various promising nontherapeutic applications in toxicological and pharmacological screening of neuroactive compounds, as well as for in vitro modeling of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. Compared to alternative research models based on laboratory animals and immortalized cancer-derived human neural cell lines, neuronal cells differentiated from hPSCs possess the advantages of species specificity together with genetic and physiological normality, which could more closely recapitulate in vivo conditions within the human central nervous system. This review critically examines the various potential nontherapeutic applications of hPSC-derived neuronal lineages and gives a brief overview of differentiation protocols utilized to generate these cells from hESCs and iPSCs.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/105172
spellingShingle May Shin Yap
Kavitha R. Nathan
Yin Yeo
Lee Wei Lim
Chit Laa Poh
Mark Richards
Wei Ling Lim
Iekhsan Othman
Boon Chin Heng
Neural Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Nontherapeutic Applications: Toxicology, Pharmacology, and In Vitro Disease Modeling
Stem Cells International
title Neural Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Nontherapeutic Applications: Toxicology, Pharmacology, and In Vitro Disease Modeling
title_full Neural Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Nontherapeutic Applications: Toxicology, Pharmacology, and In Vitro Disease Modeling
title_fullStr Neural Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Nontherapeutic Applications: Toxicology, Pharmacology, and In Vitro Disease Modeling
title_full_unstemmed Neural Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Nontherapeutic Applications: Toxicology, Pharmacology, and In Vitro Disease Modeling
title_short Neural Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Nontherapeutic Applications: Toxicology, Pharmacology, and In Vitro Disease Modeling
title_sort neural differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells for nontherapeutic applications toxicology pharmacology and in vitro disease modeling
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/105172
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