科研人員證明了來自人類胚胎干細(xì)胞（hESCs）的神經(jīng)元可以在活小鼠的大腦中功能整合起來,，這是朝著成功的神經(jīng)疾病細(xì)胞移植療法邁出的關(guān)鍵一步。已知移植來自于干細(xì)胞的神經(jīng)元可以緩解動(dòng)物模型的神經(jīng)退化的體征,，但是一直缺乏這些細(xì)胞完整地整合到大腦網(wǎng)絡(luò)中的證據(jù),。研究者使用專門被光激活的來自人類胚胎干細(xì)胞（hESCs）的神經(jīng)元研究了在實(shí)驗(yàn)室實(shí)驗(yàn)以及在小鼠大腦中的移植的人類細(xì)胞整合到小鼠神經(jīng)元的能力,。
這組作者把這些人類細(xì)胞與小鼠神經(jīng)元細(xì)胞共同培養(yǎng)，顯示出了同步的“沖動(dòng)”活動(dòng),。盡管來自人類胚胎干細(xì)胞（hESCs）的神經(jīng)元通常并不顯示出這種行為,，這些人類細(xì)胞逐漸在與小鼠神經(jīng)元的生長(zhǎng)過程中出現(xiàn)了沖動(dòng)活動(dòng)。此外,，用光刺激這些人類神經(jīng)元能引發(fā)小鼠神經(jīng)元的沖動(dòng)行為,，這表明了人類與小鼠神經(jīng)元的互動(dòng)。
光刺激也引發(fā)了移植來自人類胚胎干細(xì)胞（hESCs）的神經(jīng)元的小鼠大腦切片的小鼠神經(jīng)元的響應(yīng),，這提示移植的神經(jīng)元可以通過功能整合參與到神經(jīng)元網(wǎng)絡(luò)并且控制神經(jīng)元網(wǎng)絡(luò)的活動(dòng),。這組作者說，這些發(fā)現(xiàn)可能證明對(duì)于帕金森病,、阿茲海默病,、中風(fēng)和癲癇的療法有用。(生物谷 Bioon.com)
doi:10.1073/pnas.1108487108
PMC:
PMID:
Human embryonic stem cell-derived neurons adopt and regulate the activity of an established neural network
Jason P. Weick, Yan Liu, and Su-Chun Zhang
Whether hESC-derived neurons can fully integrate with and functionally regulate an existing neural network remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that hESC-derived neurons receive unitary postsynaptic currents both in vitro and in vivo and adopt the rhythmic firing behavior of mouse cortical networks via synaptic integration. Optical stimulation of hESC-derived neurons expressing Channelrhodopsin-2 elicited both inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic currents and triggered network bursting in mouse neurons. Furthermore, light stimulation of hESC-derived neurons transplanted to the hippocampus of adult mice triggered postsynaptic currents in host pyramidal neurons in acute slice preparations. Thus, hESC-derived neurons can participate in and modulate neural network activity through functional synaptic integration, suggesting they are capable of contributing to neural network information processing both in vitro and in vivo.
