Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons could be used to model CNS development. Real et al. transplanted cultures of green fluorescent protein-expressing neurons and neural progenitors derived from human iPSCs into the somatosensory cortex of adult mice, and used multiphoton imaging to longitudinally track the grafts over 4 months. Grafts showed changes similar to those in developing human cortex, including axon growth, synapse formation and turnover, and oscillatory activity. By contrast, grafts derived from individuals with Down syndrome showed a lower synapse turnover rate, indicating that iPSC-derived cells can also be used to model aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Real, R. et al. In vivo modeling of human neuron dynamics and Down syndrome. Science https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau1810 (2018)
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Bray, N. Model potential. Nat Rev Neurosci 20, 4 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-018-0101-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-018-0101-5