Direct conversion of human fibroblasts to functional excitatory cortical neurons integrating into human neural networks.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Human fibroblasts can be directly converted to several subtypes of neurons, but cortical projection neurons have not been generated.

Methods

Here we screened for transcription factor combinations that could potentially convert human fibroblasts to functional excitatory cortical neurons. The induced cortical (iCtx) cells were analyzed for cortical neuronal identity using immunocytochemistry, single-cell quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), electrophysiology, and their ability to integrate into human neural networks in vitro and ex vivo using electrophysiology and rabies virus tracing.

Results

We show that a combination of three transcription factors, BRN2, MYT1L, and FEZF2, have the ability to directly convert human fibroblasts to functional excita

SUBMITTER: Miskinyte G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5622454 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature