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