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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
11:27
Growing Neural Stem Cells from Conventional and Nonconventional Regions of the Adult Rodent Brain
Published on: November 18, 2013
Strategies toward CNS-regeneration using induced pluripotent stem cells
1Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 112-0012, Japan. hidokano@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
Genome Informatics. International Conference on Genome Informatics
|February 25, 2010
Summary
Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can generate functional neural cells. The origin of iPS cells determines their tumorigenicity, but non-tumorigenic iPS-derived neural cells promote recovery in spinal cord injury models.
Area of Science:
- Stem cell biology
- Neuroscience
- Regenerative medicine
Background:
- Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells offer an alternative to embryonic stem (ES) cells, avoiding ethical and immunological concerns.
- iPS cells can be generated from somatic cells, holding promise for cell replacement therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural differentiation potential of murine iPS cells.
- To assess the tumorigenicity of iPS-derived neural stem/progenitor cells.
- To evaluate the therapeutic potential of non-tumorigenic iPS-derived neural cells in a spinal cord injury model.
Main Methods:
- Reprogramming mouse fibroblasts into iPS cells using Oct3/4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4.
- Generating secondary neurospheres (SNSs) from iPS cells for neural differentiation.
- Transplanting iPS-derived neural cells into immunodeficient mice and a mouse spinal cord injury model.
Main Results:
- Murine iPS cells formed neurospheres yielding functional neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes.
- The origin of iPS cells was a key factor in the tumorigenicity of derived neural stem/progenitor cells, linked to undifferentiated cell persistence.
- Non-tumorigenic Nanog-iPS-derived SNSs promoted locomotor recovery in a mouse spinal cord injury model.
- Surprisingly, c-Myc minus iPS-derived SNSs, despite lacking drug selection, exhibited robust tumorigenesis.
Conclusions:
- The source of somatic cells is critical for determining the tumorigenicity of iPS-derived neural stem/progenitor cells.
- Non-tumorigenic iPS-derived neural cells show therapeutic potential for spinal cord injury.
- Further research is needed to understand the complex relationship between iPS cell origin, genetic modifications, and tumorigenicity.
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