Open AccessDirected Differentiation of Dopaminergic Neuronal Subtypes from Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Author(s) -
Yan Yiping,
Yang Dali,
Zarnowska Ewa D.,
Du Zhongwei,
Werbel Brian,
Valliere Chuck,
Pearce Robert A.,
Thomson James A.,
Zhang SuChun
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1634/stemcells.2004-0365
Subject(s) - biology , fgf8 , sonic hedgehog , neuroepithelial cell , embryonic stem cell , dopaminergic , tyrosine hydroxylase , gli2 , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , cellular differentiation , midbrain , floor plate , neuroscience , dopamine , fibroblast growth factor , neural stem cell , signal transduction , genetics , central nervous system , receptor , gene
How dopamine (DA) neuronal subtypes are specified remains unknown. In this study we show a robust generation of functional DA neurons from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) through a specific sequence of application of fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) and sonic hedgehog (SHH). Treatment of hESC‐derived Sox1 + neuroepithelial cells with FGF8 and SHH resulted in production of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)–positive neurons that were mostly bipolar cells, coexpression with γ‐aminobutyric acid, and lack of midbrain marker engrailed 1 (En1) expression. However, FGF8 treatment of precursor cells before Sox1 expression led to the generation of a similar proportion of TH + neurons characteristic of midbrain projection DA neurons with large cell bodies and complex processes and coexpression of En1. This suggests that one mechanism of generating neuronal subtypes is temporal availability of morphogens to a specific group of precursors. The in vitro–generated DA neurons were electrophysiologically active and released DA in an activity‐dependent manner. They may thus provide a renewable source of functional human DA neurons for drug screening and development of sustainable therapeutics for disorders affecting the DA system.