Enhanced production of neuroprogenitors, dopaminergic neurons, and identification of target genes by overexpression of sonic hedgehog in human embryonic stem cells.

Molecular and cellular signaling pathways are involved in the process of neural differentiation from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) to terminally differentiated neurons. The Sonic hedgehog (SHH) morphogen is required to direct the differentiation of hESC to several neural subtypes, for example, dopaminergic (DA) or motor neurons. However, the roles of SHH signaling and the pathway target genes that regulate the diversity of cellular responses arising from SHH activation during neurogenesis of hESC have yet to be elucidated.