Neurotrophic effects of leukemia inhibitory factor on neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells.

Various growth factor cocktails have been used to proliferate and then differentiate human neural progenitor (NP) cells derived from embryonic stem cells (ESC) for in vitro and in vivo studies. However, the cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has been largely overlooked. Here, we demonstrate that LIF significantly enhanced in vitro survival and promoted differentiation of human ESC-derived NP cells.

Differing lectin binding profiles among human embryonic stem cells and derivatives aid in the isolation of neural progenitor cells.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and their differentiated progeny allow for investigation of important changes/events during normal embryonic development. Currently most of the research is focused on proteinacous changes occurring as a result of differentiation of stem cells and little is known about changes in cell surface glycosylation patterns. Identification of cell lineage specific glycans can help in understanding their role in maintenance, proliferation and differentiation.

Ion channels and ionotropic receptors in human embryonic stem cell derived neural progenitors.

Human neural progenitor cells differentiated from human embryonic stem cells offer a potential cell source for studying neurodegenerative diseases and for drug screening assays. Previously, we demonstrated that human neural progenitors could be maintained in a proliferative state with the addition of leukemia inhibitory factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. Here we demonstrate that 96 h after removal of basic fibroblast growth factor the neural progenitor cell culture was significantly altered and cell replication halted.

Regulation of stem cell pluripotency and differentiation by G protein coupled receptors.

Stem cell-based therapeutics have the potential to effectively treat many terminal and debilitating human diseases, but the mechanisms by which their growth and differentiation are regulated are incompletely defined. Recent data from multiple systems suggest major roles for G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) pathways in regulating stem cell function in vivo and in vitro. The goal of this review is to illustrate common ground between the growing field of stem cell therapeutics and the long-established field of G protein coupled receptor signaling.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor enhances in vitro differentiation of mid-/hindbrain neural progenitor cells to dopaminergic-like neurons.

Parkinson's disease (PD) affects the motor system through the degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. The use of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived human neural progenitor (hNP) cells provides a potential cell source for cell therapies and drug screens for future treatments. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a known dopaminergic neuroprotectant agent; however, its potential role in neural differentiation remains largely unknown.