Modeling of human neurulation using bioengineered pluripotent stem cell culture

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Stem Cell Biology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Human pluripotent stem (hPS) cells possess self-organizing properties, enabling the creation of developmental models.
• These models are compatible with advanced experimental techniques like live imaging and genome editing.
• Studying early human development is crucial for understanding congenital disorders and advancing regenerative medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in using hPS cells for modeling early human neural development.
• To highlight the utility of these models in quantitative experimental research.
• To discuss future directions integrating bioengineering for enhanced developmental modeling.

Main Methods:

• Generation of human embryonic development models using hPS cells.
• Utilizing live imaging, genome editing, and mechanical perturbation techniques.
• Reviewing studies on neural induction and neural tube regional patterning.

Main Results:

• hPS cell models have successfully replicated aspects of early human neural development, including neural induction and patterning.
• These models have already shed light on cell-cell signaling and mechanoregulation in neural development.
• The models provide a quantitative platform for investigating complex developmental processes.

Conclusions:

• hPS cell-based models are powerful tools for studying human embryology and regenerative medicine.
• These models offer insights into intricate mechanisms of early neural development.
• Integrating bioengineering approaches will further enhance the capabilities and applications of these developmental models.