Functional maturation of human neural stem cells in a 3D bioengineered brain model enriched with fetal brain-derived matrix.

ABSTRACT: Brain extracellular matrix (ECM) is often overlooked in vitro brain tissue models, despite its instructive roles during development. Using developmental stage-sourced brain ECM in reproducible 3D bioengineered culture systems, we demonstrate enhanced functional differentiation of human induced neural stem cells (hiNSCs) into healthy neurons and astrocytes. Particularly, fetal brain tissue-derived ECM supported long-term maintenance of differentiated neurons, demonstrated by morphology, gene expression and secretome profiling. Astrocytes were evident within the second month of differentiation, and reactive astrogliosis was inhibited in brain ECM-enriched cultures when compared to unsupplemented cultures. Functional maturation of the differentiated hiNSCs within fetal ECM-enriched cultures w

SUBMITTER: Sood D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6884597 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature