Article
Neurosciences
Zac Chatterton, Natalia Mendelev, Sean Chen, Walter Carr, Gary H. Kamimori, Yongchao Ge, Andrew J. Dwork, Fatemeh Haghighi
Summary: Researchers are constantly seeking new sources of real-time analysis to replace difficult and dangerous brain sampling and uncomfortable cerebrospinal fluid withdrawal. Using cell-free DNA derived from glia and neurons, wide-ranging neurological disease diagnosis and monitoring are possible.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Francesco Limone, Joseph R. Klim, Daniel A. Mordes
Summary: Neurodegenerative disorders are difficult to treat, but stem cell technologies offer potential therapeutic options. Differentiating stem cells into specialized neurons can be used to treat diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
P. A. Goldsteen, A. M. Sabogal Guaqueta, P. P. M. F. A. Mulder, I. S. T. Bos, M. Eggens, L. van der Koog, J. T. Soeiro, A. J. Halayko, K. Mathwig, L. E. M. Kistemaker, E. M. J. Verpoorte, A. M. Dolga, R. Gosens
Summary: This study developed a human in vitro model for studying airway cholinergic neurons using human pluripotent stem cell technology. Functional airway cholinergic neurons were successfully differentiated from pluripotent stem cells and cultured in a microfluidic chip, which simulated neuro-effector interactions between neurons and airway smooth muscle cells.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Ryan W. Tam, Albert J. Keung
Summary: Through transcriptomic analysis, this study examines the dynamic responses of human stem cell-derived neurons to dopamine, revealing cellular desensitization to chronic and acute administration of dopamine and complex responses to pharmacological perturbations of different dopamine receptor subtypes.
Review
Cell Biology
Rachel Dennison, Esteban Usuga, Harriet Chen, Jacob Z. Paul, Christian A. Arbelaez, Yang D. Teng
Summary: In order to facilitate recovery and advance fundamental biology in the brain and spinal cord, researchers are exploring the potential strategy of directly reprogramming or converting astrocytes into neurons (AtN). However, this approach has raised many new questions and alternative explanations, requiring a more in-depth exploration of the mechanisms of the transformation process.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kanako Takahashi, Yuto Ishibashi, Kaori Chujo, Ikuro Suzuki, Kaoru Sato
Summary: This study investigated the functions of L-glutamate transporters and their contribution to the tolerance of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural cells to excitotoxicity. The results showed that EAAT1 and EAAT2 are the predominant L-Glu transporters in these cells and their uptake potentials are responsible for the tolerance of hiPSC-derived neurons to excitotoxicity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Neng-Wei Tsai, Cheng-Chen Lin, Ti -Yen Yeh, Yu-An Chiu, Hsin-Hui Chiu, Hsiang -Po Huang, Sung -Tsang Hsieh
Summary: In this study, we established a cell system of iPSC-derived sensory neurons to model peripheral nerve degeneration and investigate the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration. We found that vincristine, a drug that causes chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, led to faster degeneration of neurites compared to somata, consistent with length-dependent neuropathy. Additionally, we discovered that JNK phosphorylation was upregulated, while p38 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation remained unchanged. Furthermore, vincristine treatment impaired autophagy and reduced autophagic flux, which could be reversed by rapamycin treatment. These findings not only provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration but also offer potential therapeutic targets.
DISEASE MODELS & MECHANISMS
(2022)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Jeeranan Manokawinchoke, Phoonsuk Limraksasin, Hiroko Okawa, Prasit Pavasant, Hiroshi Egusa, Thanaphum Osathanon
Summary: This study investigated the molecular mechanism of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in response to intermittent compressive force (ICF) by analyzing global gene expression profiles. The findings suggest that TGF-beta signaling in iPSCs enhances proliferation and decreases apoptosis in response to ICF, potentially providing an efficient protocol for organoid fabrication.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Hayley Robinson, Sk Imran Ali, Martha Elena Diaz-Hernandez, Rodrigo Lopez-Gonzalez
Summary: The G4C2 repeat expansion in C9ORF72 gene is the most common genetic cause of ALS and FTD. This study found an age-dependent decrease in telomere length in neurons from C9ORF72 carriers, along with dysregulation in the protein levels of shelterin complex members TRF2 and POT1.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Francis Grafton, Jaclyn Ho, Sara Ranjbarvaziri, Farshad Farshidfar, Anastasiia Budan, Stephanie Steltzer, Mahnaz Maddah, Kevin E. Loewke, Kristina Green, Snahel Patel, Tim Hoey, Mohammad Ali Mandegar
Summary: Drug-induced cardiotoxicity and hepatotoxicity are leading causes of drug attrition. This study utilized high-content image analysis and iPSC-CMs to rapidly detect patterns of cardiotoxicity, including DNA intercalators, ion channel blockers, and multi-kinase inhibitors. The combination of deep learning and iPSC technology can effectively reduce the risk of early-stage drug discovery.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Wei-Fang Chang, Tzu-Ying Lin, Min Peng, Chia-Chun Chang, Jie Xu, Hsiu-Mei Hsieh-Li, Ji-Long Liu, Li-Ying Sung
Summary: SMN is shown to play a crucial role in cell reprogramming, as its overexpression increases iPSC formation efficiency and restores differentiation capacity of SMA-iPSCs.
STEM CELLS AND DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Respiratory System
Ines Lopez-Alonso, Cecilia Lopez-Martinez, Paula Martin-Vicente, Laura Amado-Rodriguez, Adrian Gonzalez-Lopez, Juan Mayordomo-Colunga, Cecilia del Busto, Marina Bernal, Irene Crespo, Aurora Astudillo, Miguel Arias-Guillen, Antonio Fueyo, Isaac Almendros, Jorge Otero, Hector Sanz-Fraile, Ramon Farre, Guillermo M. Albaiceta
Summary: The study found that mechanical stretch can increase invasiveness of lung cancer cells, which may have clinically relevant consequences. Pharmacological manipulation of cholesterol endocytosis could be a novel therapeutic target in this setting.
EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Jianying Guo, Peizhe Wang, Berna Sozen, Hui Qiu, Yonglin Zhu, Xingwu Zhang, Jia Ming, Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Jie Na
Summary: Stem cell-based embryo models using pluripotent and extra-embryonic lineage stem cells are novel platforms for studying early postimplantation development. Different PSC lines show varying abilities in forming embryo-like structures, with BMP4 identified as the most effective in promoting morphogenesis. The study established an innovative strategy for analyzing stem cell-based embryo models and revealed new roles of BMP4 in this context.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kinga Vojnits, Mio Nakanishi, Deanna Porras, Yeonjoon Kim, Zhuohang Feng, Diana Golubeva, Mick Bhatia
Summary: This study demonstrates the application of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to knock in fluorescent proteins into endogenous genes in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). The results show that the AAVS1 locus is a stable and consistent genomic location for reporter gene expression during differentiation. This finding has implications for high-content screening approaches and emphasizes the importance of careful evaluation and selection of reporter cell lines.
Article
Neurosciences
Laura Ferraiuolo, Nicholas J. Maragakis
Summary: Research has shown that multiple cell types contribute to ALS progression, but in vivo models have limitations. Human induced pluripotent stem cell technology is a powerful tool for studying disease mechanisms and drug discovery in ALS research.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
John D. Finan
CLINICAL BIOMECHANICS
(2019)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jack K. Phillips, Sydney A. Sherman, Kristen Y. Cotton, John M. Heddleston, Aaron B. Taylor, John D. Finan
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE METHODS
(2019)
Review
Neurosciences
Colin K. Franz, Divya Joshi, Elizabeth L. Daley, Rogan A. Grant, Kyriakos Dalamagkas, Audrey Leung, John D. Finan, Evangelos Kiskinis
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Pradeep Kumar Ramkumar, Corey M. Rountree, Laxman Saggere, John D. Finan
Summary: This study presents a unique methodology for non-destructive dimensional characterization of SU-8 microstructures using the emitted autofluorescence radiation. The relationship between autofluorescence emission intensities and SEM-measured thicknesses of microstructures was used to accurately characterize unknown SU-8 microstructures. The results suggest a feasible and accurate non-destructive, low-cost metrological technique for characterizing SU-8 microstructures using autofluorescence emission intensities.
JOURNAL OF MICROMECHANICS AND MICROENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hanjun Ryu, Yoonseok Park, Haiwen Luan, Gokhan Dalgin, Kira Jeffris, Hong-Joon Yoon, Ted S. Chung, Jong Uk Kim, Sung Soo Kwak, Geumbee Lee, Hyoyoung Jeong, Jihye Kim, Wubin Bai, Joohee Kim, Yei Hwan Jung, Andrew K. Tryba, Joseph W. Song, Yonggang Huang, Louis H. Philipson, John D. Finan, John A. Rogers
Summary: New methods for transforming 2D patterns of thin-film materials into 3D mesostructures have opened up opportunities in microsystems design, particularly in the area of multifunctional interfaces to biological tissues. Examples of 3D mechanical interfaces using parylene-C ribbons were presented, along with computational tools for designing shape-matching architectures tailored to organoids of interest. Studies using nanoindentation on cerebral organoids showed effective Young's moduli, suggesting broad utility of compliant 3D mesostructures in noninvasive mechanical measurements of soft biological tissues at the millimeter scale.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sai Siva Kare, Corey M. Rountree, John B. Troy, John D. Finan, Laxman Saggere
Summary: The study focuses on evaluating electroosmotic flow (EOF) for delivering small quantities of glutamate to the retina as a potential strategy for treating vision loss caused by photoreceptor degenerative diseases. By constructing and testing an EOF microfluidic system, the research successfully induced excitatory and inhibitory spike rate responses in PR degenerate rat retinae, demonstrating the viability of EOF-driven chemical stimulation for retinal prosthetics.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yoonseok Park, Colin K. Franz, Hanjun Ryu, Haiwen Luan, Kristen Y. Cotton, Jong Uk Kim, Ted S. Chung, Shiwei Zhao, Abraham Vazquez-Guardado, Da Som Yang, Kan Li, Raudel Avila, Jack K. Phillips, Maria J. Quezada, Hokyung Jang, Sung Soo Kwak, Sang Min Won, Kyeongha Kwon, Hyoyoung Jeong, Amay J. Bandodkar, Mengdi Han, Hangbo Zhao, Gabrielle R. Osher, Heling Wang, KunHyuck Lee, Yihui Zhang, Yonggang Huang, John D. Finan, John A. Rogers
Summary: Scientists are developing microfabricated 3D frameworks as neural interfaces for studying complex brain features in biological systems. These neural interfaces can achieve multiple functions, providing various opportunities for basic neuroscience research.
Article
Cell Biology
Aaron R. Shoemaker, Ian E. Jones, Kira D. Jeffris, Gina Gabrielli, Alyssa G. Togliatti, Rajeswari Pichika, Eric Martin, Evangelos Kiskinis, Colin K. Franz, John D. Finan
Summary: Three-dimensional human in vitro models can reproduce important phenotypes of neurotrauma, such as decreased cell viability, electrophysiological deficits, and secretion of specific biomarkers in response to injury.
DISEASE MODELS & MECHANISMS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Jack Phillips, Mitchell Glodowski, Yash Gokhale, Matthew Dwyer, Alireza Ashtiani, Aviad Hai
Summary: A cell-sized device capable of forming a tight electromagnetic junction with single neurons was designed, which can transduce changes in cellular potential to magnetic field perturbations. The device enhances the ability to detect diverse signals across multiple brain regions. The performance of the device was quantified through simulations and experiments, demonstrating its capability to produce magnetic signals readable via existing modalities and its higher magnetic field intensity compared to intrinsic neuronal magnetic fields (NMFs).
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sai Siva Kare, Pradeep Kumar Ramkumar, Yuan Gao, Jie Xu, John Desmond Finan
Summary: This study presents a new connected droplet shape analysis (CDSA) technique that simplifies flow rate and zeta potential quantification in thin electroosmotic flow (EOF) micropumps. It is also found that a pair of droplets connected by an EOF pump can function as a tunable convex lens system (TCLS). The CDSA technique is a simple low-cost method for EOF rate and zeta potential measurement, and a pair of droplets connected by an EOF micropump can function as a TCLS without any moving parts.
Article
Neurosciences
Elise K. Black, Jack K. Phillips, Jack Seminetta, Julian Bailes, John M. Lee, John D. Finan
Summary: This study investigated the effects of high-dose O3FA dietary supplementation on neuroinflammation following TBI, showing that supplementation was beneficial in reducing the activation of astrocytes and microglial cells. The consistency in trends across different measures of neuroinflammation indicates that the observed effects are real and further study is warranted to understand the functional benefits associated with these improvements.
TRANSLATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Palamadai N. Venkatasubramanian, Prachi Keni, Roland Gastfield, Limin Li, Daniil Aksenov, Sydney A. Sherman, Julian Bailes, Brian Sindelar, John D. Finan, John Lee, Julian E. Bailes, Alice M. Wyrwicz