Table 1 In vitro differentiation protocols for per neural lineage phenotype and their application in models of neurological diseases.

From: Directional induction of neural stem cells, a new therapy for neurodegenerative diseases and ischemic stroke

Phenotypes

Source of NSCs

Differentiation Protocol

Differentiation factors

Phenotypic markers (% cells) in vitro/vivo

Models

Functional outcome

Reference

DAergic neurons

Human fetal VM tissue

Chemical-defined system

BDNF, AA, low oxygen

40–50% MAP2+

15% TH+/MAP2+

NA

NA

[55]

NA

DAergic neurons

Human fetal VM tissue (passage 2)

Chemical-defined system

WNT5 (SHH, FGF8, FGF2 for proliferation)

35%TH+

NA

NA

[62]

NA

DAergic neurons

Rat embryonic VM tissue

Transfected by electroporation

Nurr1, Brn4

NA

6-OHDA PD rats

Increased DA level; Improved rotational behavior

[67]

18%TH+

14%DAT+

DAergic neurons

Rat embryonic VM tissue

Transfected by lentivirus

TH, Brn4

65.71 ± 5.18%TH+

32.28 ± 4.39% DAT+

NA

NA

[66]

NA

DAergic neurons

Rat embryonic VM tissue

Chemical-defined system and transfected by lipofectamine

SHH, FGF8 and Wnt5a

a 20-fold TH+ cells increase

6-OHDA PD mice

Increased DA level, improved rotational behavior

[60]

9.5% TH+

DAergic neurons

Rodents embryonic cortical tissue

Transfected by retroviruses

Foxa2, Nurr1

37.1% TH+

55.1% PITX3+/TH+

>78% VMAT2+/TH+

6-OHDA PD rats

Exhibited a mature midbrain DAergic neuronal morphology, improved rotational behavior

[73]

about 14-fold TH+ cells increase

DAergic neurons

Rats embryonic cortical tissue

Transfected by retroviruses with appropriate vectors and promoters

Foxa2, Nurr1, ca-PKA

60% TH+/TUJ1+

80–90% PITX3+/TH+

VMAT2+/TH+

DAT+/TH+

6-OHDA PD rats

Exhibited an extremely mature midbrain DAergic neuronal morphology, no rotational behavior improvement

[74]

few TH+ cells

<100 cells

DAergic neurons

Primate ESCs (Co-culture with PA6)

Chemical-defined system

NA

25 ± 6% TUJ1+

35 ± 6% TH+/TUJ1+

6-OHDA PD mice

NA

[43]

0.7% TH+

DAergic neurons

Human ESCs (Co-culture with PA6)

Chemical-defined system

SHH, FGF8

46 ± 8% MAP+

80 ± 11% TH+/MAP+

32% TH+

NA

NA

[75]

DAergic neurons

Mouse ESCs (Co-culture with MS5)

Chemical-defined system

SHH, FGF8

50 ± 10% TH+/TUJ1+

6-OHDA PD mice

improved rotational behavior

[42]

10–20% TH+

DAergic neurons

Human ESCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

SHH, FGF8

50–60% TH+/TUJ1+

31.8 ± 3.1% TH+

NA

NA

[77, 79]

NA

DAergic neurons

Human PESCs (EB/Dual SMAD inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

SHH C25II, FGF8, PUR and CHIR99021

60–80%/70-100% TUJ1+

20–40%/30-40% TH+

MPTP PD primates

Increased DA level, improved rotational behavior

[76]

5.2–8.1% TH+

DAergic neurons

Human iPSC (EB)

Chemical-defined system

SHH, FGF8

30 ± 5% TH+

100% GIRK2+/TH+

6-OHDA PD rats

Improved rotational behavior

[78]

~2% TH+

DAergic neurons

Human ESCs/iPSCs (Dual SMAD- inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

CHIR99021, FGF8, PUR and SHH-C25II

±75% TH+

±50% NURR1+

±80% FOXA2+

±60% LMX1A+

6-OHDA PD mice/rats

MPTP PD primates

Exhibited excellent DA neuron survival, improved motor deficits.

[84]

6% TH+ (rats)

DAergic neurons

Human ESCs (Dual SMAD inhibition with EB)

Chemical-defined system

CHIR99021, SHH- C24II

NA

6-OHDA PD rats

Increased DA level, improved motor deficits, showed similar efficacy and potency to fetal DAergic neurons

[82, 178]

54.2 ± 2.5% TH+

81% LMX1A+/FOXA2+

DAergic neurons

Human/primate ESCs/iPSCs (Dual SMAD- inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

CHIR99021, FGF8b and SHH- C25II

43.6 ± 6.2% TH+

95.3 ± 2.4% NURR1+/TH+

96.7 ± 1.8% FOXA2+/TH+

96.5 ± 2.3% LMX1A+/TH+

56.3 ± 6.7% GIRK2+/TH+

NA

NA

[83]

DAergic neurons

Human iPSCs (Dual SMAD- inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

CHIR99021, FGF8, and PUR

42 ± 4.4% TH+

19.9 ± 6.9% NURR1+

70–75% FOXA2+

6-OHDA PD rats /MPTP PD primates

Improved rotational behavior(rats) increased spontaneous movement, extended dense neurites into the host striatum, increased DA synthesis

[81, 85]

±17% TH+

±28%TH+/NEUN+(rats)

33.3 ± 24.4% TH+(primates)

DAergic neurons

Human ESCs (Dual SMAD- inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

CHIR99021, FGF8b, SHH- C25II and SAG

69% TH+

84% TH+/TUJ1+

>85% GIRK2+/ TH+

6-OHDA PD mice

Displayed A9 characteristics, restored functionality of the reconstructed nigrostriatal circuit, improved motor deficits.

[179]

68% TH+/survived

DAergic neurons

Human iPSC (Dual SMAD- Inhibition with EB) Human iNSC

Chemical-defined system

CHIR 99021, FGF8, PUR, BMP5 and BMP7

30–50% TH+/TUJ1+

NA

NA

[86]

NA

DAergic neurons

Human ESCs/iPSC (dual SMAD- Inhibition)

Chemical-defined system (3D)

CHIR99021, FGF8b and PUR

47% TH+

Fischer rats

NA

[87]

8.12% TH+/transplanted

46.7% FOXA2/ TH+

DAergic neurons

INSCs reprogrammed from PBMNCs

Chemical-defined system

SAG1, FGF8

57.23% TH+

62.87% TH+/FOXA2

58.69% TH+/NURR1+

13.84% TH+

86.78% FOXA2+/TH+ 91.72% NURR1+/TH+

98.77% GIRK2+/TH+

6-OHDA PD mice

Improved rotational behavior

[88]

GABAergic neurons

Immortalized striatal human NSC line (STROC05)

Chemical-defined system

PUR

6.3% DARPP-32+

46% TUJ+

27%+ MAP2+

NA

NA

[99]

GABAergic neurons

Immortalized striatal human NSC line (ST14A)

Chemical-defined system

RA, KCl

74% GABA+

QA HD rats

maintained neuronal GABAergic phenotype, established pre- and postsynaptic contacts with endogenous striatal cells, improved motor deficits

[100]

GABAergic neurons

Immortalized human NSC line (ReNcell VM)

Chemical-defined system

VPA

68 ± 4% MAP2+

90% GABA+/MAP2+

54% CALB1+/MAP2+

NA

NA

[101]

DKK1, SHH

63 ± 4% MAP2+

96% GABA+/MAP2+

84% CALB1+/MAP2+

GABAergic neurons

Human ESCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

SHH/PUR

90.2 ± 4.2% GABA+/TUJ1+

89.7 ± 8.3% DARPP32+/TUJ1+

QA HD mice

Projected to the anterior substantia nigra and potentially form connections with DAergic neurons, improved motor deficits

[102]

62.8 ± 2.6% GABA+

58.6 ± 3% DARPP-32+/ GABA+

GABAergic neurons

Human iPSCs (Co-culture with PA6)

Chemical-defined system

BDNF

34.1 ± 4.5% DLX2

27.0 ± 1.7%DARPP-32+

19.1 ± 2.1% CALB1+

QA HD rat

Improved motor deficits

[41]

GABAergic neurons

Human ESCs/iPSC (Dual SMAD- Inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

DKK1, SHH-C25II

±51% MAP2+

±78% GABA+/MAP2+

±60.3% CTIP2+/MAP2+

±86% GABA+/CTIP2+/MAP2+

±53% CALB1+/MAP2+

±70.6% CTIP2+/CALB1+/MAP2+

QA HD rat

Improved rotational behavior

[103]

GABAergic neurons

Human ESCs (Dual SMAD- Inhibition with EB)

Chemical-defined system

XAV939, SAG

±87% DARPP32+/MAP2+

±89.5% GABA+/TUJ1+

80–100% DARPP-32+/GABA+

80–100% CALB1+/TUJ1+

QA HD mice

Improved motor deficits

[104]

48.7 ± 2.8% DARPP32+/hN+

GABAergic neurons

Human ESCs/iPSC (Dual SMAD- Inhibition)

Chemical-defined system (3D)

PUR, DKK1

78%MAP2+

61% GABA+/MAP2+

55%DARPP-32+/MAP2+

70%CTIP2+/MAP2+

46%CALB1+/MAP2+

100%CTIP2+/DARPP-32+

R6/2 HD mice

Innervated substantia nigra, improved motor deficits.

[105]

GABAergic neurons

Human ESCs/iPSCs (Dual SMAD- Inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

Activin A

20–50%DARPP-32+

QA HD rats

no motor improvement

[106]

49 ± 5% DARPP-32+/hN+

86 ± 4.6%GABA+/hN+

35 ± 8%CALB1+/hN+

GABAergic neurons

Human ESCs/iPSCs (Dual SMAD- Inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

IWR1

±6%DARPP-32+/Map2b+

±6%DARPP-32+/CTIP2+

±60 %CTIP2+

NA

NA

[107]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human fetal cortical NSCs

Chemical-defined system

FGF2

61% HB9+

50% H9+/ChAT+

NA

NA

[114]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

HB1.F3 human NSC line

Chemical-defined system and transfected by vector

Olig2, SHH

NA

SOD1G93A mutant mice

Migrated into ventral horn, and replaced lost host motor neurons, delayed clinical onset and extended life span.

[233]

Cholinergic motor neurons

Mouse ESCs (Co-culture with MS5)

Chemical-defined system

SHH, RA and FGF2

±60%HB9+/TUJ1

NA

NA

[42]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human ESCs, primate ESCs (Co-culture with MS5)

Chemical-defined system

SHH, RA

20% HB9+(human)

43% HB9+(primate)

NA

NA

[116]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human ESCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

FGF2, RA and SHH

>50% ISL1+/TUJ1+/MAP2+

±50% HB9+/ISL1/2+

±21% HB9+

NA

NA

[120]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human iPSCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

PUR, RA

±60%OLIG2+/SOX3+

±30%ISL1+/TUJ1+

NA

NA

[118]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human iPSCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

RA, SHH agonist

20%HB9+

>90%ISL1/2+/HB9+

>50%ChAT+/ISL1/2+/HB9+

NA

NA

[119]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human ESCs and iPSCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

PUR, RA and SAG,

83 ± 1% TUJ1+

30 ± 6% ISL1+

16 ± 5% HB9+

37 ± 2% ISL1+and HB9+

NA

NA

[124]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human ESCs and iPSCs (Dual SMAD

Inhibition with EB)

Chemical-defined system

BIO, PUR and RA

40–50%HB9+

NA

NA

[122]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human ESCs and iPSCs

Chemical-defined system (Dual SMAD inhibition)

SAG, RA and CHIR99021

74% HB9+/ISL1+

NA

NA

[125]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human iPSCs (Dual SMAD inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

CHIR99021, PUR and RA

90 ± 9% MNX1 +

95 ± 3% ISL1+

91 ± 6%ChAT+/MAP2+

NA

NA

[126]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human iPSCs (Dual SMAD inhibition)

Transfected by lentivirus

NGN2, ISL1, LHX3

88.2 ± 3.5% HB9+

86.5 ± 4.1%ChAT+

NA

NA

[121]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Human iNSCs (Reprogrammed from PBMNCs)

Chemical-defined system

RA, SAG1

14.80 ± 0.90% HB9+

14.40 ± 1.29% ISL1+

NA

NA

[130]

NA

Cholinergic motor neurons

Rat iNSCs (Reprogrammed from astrocytes)

Chemical-defined system

RA, SHH

34.1% ± 2.9% HB9+

NA

NA

[131]

NA

oligodendrocytes

Human fetal diencephalic/telencephalic tissue

Chemical-defined system

FGF2, NT3 and PDGF-AA

15–20% O4+

15–20%GalC+

Lysolecithin MS mice

Showed limited myelinating capacity

[141]

NA

oligodendrocytes

Human fetal brain tissue

Chemical-defined system

FGF2, NT3 and PDGF-AA

80.5 ± 2.1%A2B5+

85.4 ± 3.9%O4+

90%GalC+

NA

NA

[140]

NA

oligodendrocytes

Human ESCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

RA, SHH, FGF2, NT3, PDGF-AA and IGF1

83.95% PDGFRα+

91.3%NGN2+

Shiverer MS mice

expressed MBP and formed myelin sheaths around nerve fibers

[135, 142]

NA

oligodendrocytes

Human ESCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

RA, PUR/SAG, FGF2, PDGF-AA, T3, low oxygen

Spinal cord

77 ± 13% NGN2+

38.5 ± 9.0%O4+

29.9 ± 5.5%MBP+/O4+

Ventral forebrain

91% ± 7% NGN2+

43% ± 5% O4+

29.9 ± 5.5%MBP+/O4+

NA

NA

[143]

NA

oligodendrocytes

Human ESCs and iPSCs (Dual SMAD inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

RA, SAG, NT3, PDGF-AA and T3

44–70% O4 +

Shiverer MS mice

Achieved mature oligodendrocyte differentiation and formed dense compact myelin.

[145]

NA

oligodendrocytes

Human iPSCs (Dual SMAD inhibition)

Transfected by lentivirus

SOX10, OLIG2, NKX6.2

62.1 ± 9.5%-79.0 ± 14.8% O4 +

30.37 ± 7.87% MBP+/O4 +

Shiverer MS mice

myelinated the forebrain, remyelinated the demyelinated spinal cord

[146]

oligodendrocytes

Human iPSCs (Dual SMAD inhibition)

Transfected by lentivirus

SOX10

50–65% O4 +

Shiverer MS mice

myelinated neurons

[147, 234]

48.13 ± 4.15%MBP+

oligodendrocytes

Human ESCs and iPSCs (Dual SMAD inhibition)

Chemical-defined system

XAV939, PUR, PDGFRα, IGF-1, cAMP and T3

35% O4+

NA

NA

[149]

NA

oligodendrocytes

Human ESCs

Transfected by lentivirus

SOX10, OLIG2

19.24 ± 3.18% O4+

81.58 ± 3.94% FOXG1+/O4+

  

[148]

Cortical glutamatergic neurons

Human ESCs and iPSCs (Monolayer)

Chemical-defined system

Noggin

<65% TUJ1+

±60% VGLUT1+/TUJ1+

<75% TBR1+/TUJ1+

<72% CTIP2+/TUJ1+

<18% CTIP2+/TBR1+/TUJ1+

NA

NA

[155]

NA

Cortical glutamatergic neurons

Human ESCs and iPSCs (Dual SMAD inhibition with monolayer)

Chemical-defined system

FGF2, Vitamin A

22–29% TBR1+

25–30% CTIP2+

28–36% BRN2+

NA

NA

[164, 165]

NA

Cortical glutamatergic neurons

Human iPSCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system

BMP4, WNT3A and cyclopamine

62.2 ± 2.1% TBR1+

±80% VGLUT1+/TUJ1+

MCAO rats

Alleviated sensorimotor deficits, differentiated to glutamatergic neurons and form excitatory, glutamatergic synapses

[166, 168, 169]

2.5 ± 0.3% TBR1+

Cortical glutamatergic neurons

Human ESCs and iPSCs (EB)

Chemical-defined system (3D)

None

30-40% TBR1+

±30% CTIP2+

±10%SATB2

NA

NA

[170]

NA

  1. The phenotypes of neural lineages, sources of neural stem cells, differentiation protocols, drivers of differentiation, representative phenotypic markers (in vitro) for evaluating the differentiation efficiency and culture homogeneity, expression of representative phenotypic markers after transplantation into corresponding neurological disease model, and improvement of functional outcomes after transplantation are broadly reviewed.
  2. + represents the percentage of cells stained positive for a specific marker in the differentiation system (in vitro) or in the transplanted population.
  3. AA ascorbic acid, BDNF brain derived neurotrophic factor, BIO GSK3β inhibitor 6-bromoindirubin-3′-oxime, BMP5 bone morphogenic protein 5, BMP7 bone morphogenic protein 7, BRN2 brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 2 (POU3F2), Brn4 brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 4, CALB1 calbindin 1, Ca-PKA constitutively active protein kinase A, CHAT choline acetyltransferase, CHIR99021 GSK3β inhibitor, CTIP2 b-cell CLL/lymphoma 11b(BCL11B)/COUP-TF-interacting protein 2 (COUP-TFII), 3D three-dimensional, DA dopamine, DARPP-32 dopamine and cAMP-regulated neuronal phosphoprotein 32, DAT dopamine transporter, DKK1 dickkopf-1, DLX2 distal-less homeobox 2, ESCs embryonic stem cells, EB embryoid body, EGF epidermal growth factor, FGF2 fibroblast growth factor 2/basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), FGF8 fibroblast growth factor 8, FGF8b fibroblast growth factor 8 isoform b, FOXA2 forkhead box protein A2, FOXG1 forkhead box protein G1, GABA γ-aminobutyric acid, GalC Galactocerebrosides, GIRK2 G protein-activated inward rectifier potassium channel 2 (KCNJ6), HB9 homeobox HB9/motor neuron and pancrease homeobox 1 (MNX1), HD Huntington’s disease, hN human nucleus, IGF-1 insulin-like growth factor 1, iNSC induced neural stem cells, iPSCs induced pluripotent stem cells, IWR1 a tankyrase/Wnt inhibitor, ISL1 ISL LIM homeobox 1, ISL1/2 ISL LIM homeobox 1/2, LHX3 LIM homeobox 3, MAP2 microtubule-associated protein 2, MBP myelin basic protein, MPTP 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1236-tetrahydropyridine, MS multiple sclerosis, MS-5 stromal cell line derived from irradiated murine bone marrow cultures, NGN2 neurogenin 2, NKX6-2 NK6 homeobox 2, NSCs neural stem cells, NURR1 nuclear receptor related 1 protein, NT3 neurotrophin-3, 6-OHDA 6-hydroxydopamine, OLIG2 oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2, PA6 stromal cell line derived from newborn calvaria tissue of the C57BL/6 mice, PBMNCs peripheral blood mononuclear cells, PD Parkinson’s disease, PGDF-AA platelet-derived growth factor AA, PGDFα platelet-derived growth factor -alpha receptor, PUR purmorphamine, PITX3 paired-like homeodomain 3, QA quinolinic acid, RA retinoic acid, SAG smoothened agonist, SATB2 special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2, SHH sonic hedgehog, SHH-C24II recombinant human SHH, SHH-C25II recombinant mouse SHH, SMAD transcription factor and member of the BMP and TGF-β signaling pathways, T3 triiodothyronine, TBR1 T-box brain 1, SOX3 SRY box 3, SOX10 SRY box 10, TH tyrosine hydroxylase, TUJ1 neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin (TUBB3), VGLUT vesicular glutamate transporter, VM ventral midbrain, VPA valproic acid, VMAT2 vesicular monoamine transporter 2, WNT5 wingless-type MMTV integration site family 5, WNT5a wingless-type MMTV integration site family 5a, XAV939 WNT/β-catenin inhibitor.