Multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells

Abstract Neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (h-iPSC-Ns) provide an invaluable model for studying the physiological aspects of human neuronal development under healthy and pathological conditions. However, multiple studies have demonstrated that h-iPSC-Ns exhibit a high degree of fun...

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Main Authors: Maissa Ben Mahmoud, Anikó Rátkai, Krisztina Bauer, Norbert Bencsik, Attila Szücs, Katalin Schlett, Krisztián Tárnok
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81140-4
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author Maissa Ben Mahmoud
Anikó Rátkai
Krisztina Bauer
Norbert Bencsik
Attila Szücs
Katalin Schlett
Krisztián Tárnok
author_facet Maissa Ben Mahmoud
Anikó Rátkai
Krisztina Bauer
Norbert Bencsik
Attila Szücs
Katalin Schlett
Krisztián Tárnok
author_sort Maissa Ben Mahmoud
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (h-iPSC-Ns) provide an invaluable model for studying the physiological aspects of human neuronal development under healthy and pathological conditions. However, multiple studies have demonstrated that h-iPSC-Ns exhibit a high degree of functional and epigenetic diversity. Due to the imprecise characterization and significant variation among the currently available maturation protocols, it is essential to establish a set of criteria to standardize models and accurately characterize and define the developmental properties of human neurons derived from iPSCs. In this study, we conducted comprehensive cellular and network level analysis of the functional development of human neurons, generated from iPSCs obtained from healthy young female peripheral blood mononuclear cells by BDNF and GDNF treatment. We provide a thorough description of the maturation process of h-iPSC-Ns over a 10-week in vitro period using conventional whole-cell patch clamp and dynamic clamp techniques, alongside with morphometry and immunocytochemistry. Additionally, we utilized calcium imaging to monitor the progression of synaptic activity and network communication. At the single cell level, human neurons exhibited gradually decreasing membrane resistance in parallel with improved excitability. By the fifth week of maturation, firing profiles were consistent with those of mature regular firing type of neurons. At the network level, fast glutamatergic and depolarizing GABAergic synaptic connections were abundant together with synchronized network activity from the sixth week of maturation. Alterations in the expression of GABAA receptor subunits were also observed during the process of maturation. The sequence of differentiation events was consistent, providing a robust temporal framework to execute experiments at defined stages of neuronal maturation as well as to use a specific set of experiments to assess a culture’s maturation. The uncovered progression of differentiation events provides a powerful tool to aid the planning and designing of targeted experiments during defined stages of neuronal maturation.
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spelling doaj-art-bdd38e81a5b64ec7b824eb311902b8152025-08-20T02:16:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111710.1038/s41598-024-81140-4Multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cellsMaissa Ben Mahmoud0Anikó Rátkai1Krisztina Bauer2Norbert Bencsik3Attila Szücs4Katalin Schlett5Krisztián Tárnok6Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityDepartment of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityDepartment of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityDepartment of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityDepartment of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityDepartment of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityDepartment of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityAbstract Neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (h-iPSC-Ns) provide an invaluable model for studying the physiological aspects of human neuronal development under healthy and pathological conditions. However, multiple studies have demonstrated that h-iPSC-Ns exhibit a high degree of functional and epigenetic diversity. Due to the imprecise characterization and significant variation among the currently available maturation protocols, it is essential to establish a set of criteria to standardize models and accurately characterize and define the developmental properties of human neurons derived from iPSCs. In this study, we conducted comprehensive cellular and network level analysis of the functional development of human neurons, generated from iPSCs obtained from healthy young female peripheral blood mononuclear cells by BDNF and GDNF treatment. We provide a thorough description of the maturation process of h-iPSC-Ns over a 10-week in vitro period using conventional whole-cell patch clamp and dynamic clamp techniques, alongside with morphometry and immunocytochemistry. Additionally, we utilized calcium imaging to monitor the progression of synaptic activity and network communication. At the single cell level, human neurons exhibited gradually decreasing membrane resistance in parallel with improved excitability. By the fifth week of maturation, firing profiles were consistent with those of mature regular firing type of neurons. At the network level, fast glutamatergic and depolarizing GABAergic synaptic connections were abundant together with synchronized network activity from the sixth week of maturation. Alterations in the expression of GABAA receptor subunits were also observed during the process of maturation. The sequence of differentiation events was consistent, providing a robust temporal framework to execute experiments at defined stages of neuronal maturation as well as to use a specific set of experiments to assess a culture’s maturation. The uncovered progression of differentiation events provides a powerful tool to aid the planning and designing of targeted experiments during defined stages of neuronal maturation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81140-4Induced pluripotent stem cellHuman neuronDifferentiationMaturationElectrophysiologyMorphometry
spellingShingle Maissa Ben Mahmoud
Anikó Rátkai
Krisztina Bauer
Norbert Bencsik
Attila Szücs
Katalin Schlett
Krisztián Tárnok
Multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
Scientific Reports
Induced pluripotent stem cell
Human neuron
Differentiation
Maturation
Electrophysiology
Morphometry
title Multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
title_full Multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
title_fullStr Multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
title_full_unstemmed Multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
title_short Multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
title_sort multifactorial approach is needed to unravel the maturation phases of human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
topic Induced pluripotent stem cell
Human neuron
Differentiation
Maturation
Electrophysiology
Morphometry
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81140-4
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