Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Immature Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons Transplanted in Parkinsonian Monkeys.

ABSTRACT: Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) differentiate into specialized cells, including midbrain dopaminergic neurons (DANs), and Non-human primates (NHPs) injected with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine develop some alterations observed in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Here, we obtained well-characterized DANs from hESCs and transplanted them into two parkinsonian monkeys to assess their behavioral and imaging changes. DANs from hESCs expressed dopaminergic markers, generated action potentials, and released dopamine (DA) in vitro. These neurons were transplanted bilaterally into the putamen of parkinsonian NHPs, and using magnetic resonance imaging techniques, we calculated the fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), both employed for the first time for these purp

SUBMITTER: Lopez-Ornelas A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10706241 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature