کتاب سلولهای بنیادی عصبی انسان: از تولید تا تمایز و کاربردHuman Neural Stem Cells

Abstract Neural stem cells isolated from the developing and adult brain are an ideal source of cells for use in clinical applications such as cell replacement therapy. The clear advantage of these cells over the more commonly utilised embryonic and pluripotent stem cells is that they are already neurally committed. Of particular importance is the fact that these cells don’t require the same level of in vitro culture that can be cost and labour intensive. Foetal neural stem cells can be readily derived from the foetal brain and expand in culture over time. Similarly, adult stem cells have been explored for their potential in vitro and in vivo animal models. In this chapter we identify the progress made in developing these cells as well as the advantages of taking them forward for clinical use. Neural stem cells may be derived from several sources, and the focus of attention in recent years has been on those from embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. These cells can be readily differentiated down a neural lineage from where they can be further directed into the different cell types of the nervous system. One therapeutic approach for which these cells have been extensively explored is cell replacement therapy (CRT). CRT aims to replace the cells that have been lost due to disease process. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD), where there is focal cell loss, are ideal candidates for this type of approach. It has been shown that primary human foetal cells transplanted into the diseased brain can survive and integrate into the host brain, thereby recreating the lost circuitry and alleviating the motor symptoms of the disease. Proof of principle has been shown in clinical trials to date for both neurodegenerative diseases; however, there is an urgent need to identify an