Development and function of human cerebral cortex neural networks from pluripotent stem cells in vitro.

ABSTRACT: A key aspect of nervous system development, including that of the cerebral cortex, is the formation of higher-order neural networks. Developing neural networks undergo several phases with distinct activity patterns in vivo, which are thought to prune and fine-tune network connectivity. We report here that human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived cerebral cortex neurons form large-scale networks that reflect those found in the developing cerebral cortex in vivo. Synchronised oscillatory networks develop in a highly stereotyped pattern over several weeks in culture. An initial phase of increasing frequency of oscillations is followed by a phase of decreasing frequency, before giving rise to non-synchronous, ordered activity patterns. hPSC-derived cortical neural networks are excitatory, dr

SUBMITTER: Kirwan P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4582178 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature