Generation of Human Neural Progenitors from Blood Samples by Interrupted Reprogramming

Human neuronal cell cultures are essential tools for biological and preclinical studies of our nervous system. Since we have very limited access to primary human neural samples, derivation of proliferative neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from cells harvested by minimally invasive sampling is a key issue. Here we describe a "shortcut" method to establish proliferative NPC cultures directly from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) via interrupted reprogramming. In addition, we provide procedures to characterize the NPC stage.