Substrate-Dependent Galvanotaxis of Directly Reprogrammed Human Neural Precursor Cells

Neural precursor cells (NPCs) hold great promise for neural repair. Endogenous NPCs, found in the subventricular zone of the adult brain, proliferate and migrate toward lesion sites; however, it is not sufficient for neural repair. NPCs are electrosensitive cells that undergo directed migration in an electric field (EF). Here, we examined the EF-induced migration of a clinically relevant human NPC population. We examined the effects of different substrates and microenvironments on human NPC galvanotaxis. Human NPCs increased their migration speed in the presence of an EF, and the direction of migration (anodal vs. cathodal) varied between substrates. The secretome and extracellular pH were not significant factors in EF-induced migration; however, our results are consistent with substrate stiffness playing a role in the direction of cell migration. These findings provide insight into the importance of the microenvironment on modulating human NPC migration and highlight substrate-dependent considerations for neurorepair.