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Neuroimmunology

New approach allows derivation of microglia-like cells in vitro

Nature Reviews Neurology volume 12, page 615 (2016)Cite this article

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Using a novel approach, researchers have derived microglia-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells for the first time, according to a recent report in Nature Medicine. The cells exhibited molecular signatures similar to those of microglia, and behaved like microglia in 3D neuroglial cultures, suggesting that the system will facilitate in vitro studies of neurological diseases.

Rudolf Jaenisch and colleagues, who conducted the study, have previously used human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model Parkinson disease, Rett syndrome and Niemann–Pick disease, and are currently modelling Alzheimer disease and adrenoleukodystrophy. However, they have been unable to include microglia in their models. “In all these diseases, the role of microglia is becoming more prominent every day, yet there were no good culture systems for primary human microglia, or clear differentiation protocols from iPSCs,” explains Julien Muffat, the co-lead author of the study.

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References

  1. Muffat, J. et al. Efficient derivation of microglia-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells. Nat. Med. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm.4189 (2016)

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  1. Ian Fyfe
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Fyfe, I. New approach allows derivation of microglia-like cells in vitro. Nat Rev Neurol 12, 615 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2016.159

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2016.159

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