Open AccessRegionally specified human pluripotent stem cell-derived astrocytes exhibit different molecular signatures and functional properties
Author(s) -
Robert A. Bradley,
Jack Shireman,
Caya McFalls,
Jae Boong Choi,
Scott G. Canfield,
Yi Dong,
Katie Liu,
Brianne Lisota,
Jeffrey R. Jones,
Andrew J. Petersen,
Anita Bhattacharyya,
Sean P. Palecek,
Eric V. Shusta,
Christina Kendziorski,
SuChun Zhang
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.754
H-Index - 325
eISSN - 1477-9129
pISSN - 0950-1991
DOI - 10.1242/dev.170910
Subject(s) - biology , astrocyte , induced pluripotent stem cell , neuroscience , progenitor cell , neural stem cell , neurite , stem cell , human brain , central nervous system , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , genetics , embryonic stem cell , in vitro
Astrocytes display diverse morphologies in different regions of the central nervous system. Whether astrocyte diversity is attributable to developmental processes and bears functional consequence, especially in humans, is unknown. RNA sequencing of human pluripotent stem cell-derived regional astrocytes revealed distinct transcript profiles, suggesting differential functional properties. This was confirmed by differential calcium signaling as well as effects on neurite growth and blood brain barrier formation. Distinct transcriptional profiles and functional properties of human astrocytes generated from regionally specified neural progenitors under the same conditions strongly implicate the developmental impact on astrocyte diversity. These findings provide a rationale for renewed examination of regional astrocytes and their role in the pathogenesis of psychiatric and neurological disorders.