Wnt signal activation induces midbrain specification through direct binding of the beta-catenin/TCF4 complex to the EN1 promoter in human pluripotent stem cells.

The canonical Wnt signal pathway plays a pivotal role in anteroposterior patterning and midbrain specification during early neurogenesis. Activating Wnt signal has been a strategy for differentiating human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) into midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons; however, the underlying molecular mechanism(s) of how the Wnt signal drives posterior fate remained unclear. In this study, we found that activating the canonical Wnt signal significantly upregulated the expression of EN1, a midbrain-specific marker, in a fibroblast growth factor signal-dependent manner in human PSC-derived neural precursor cells (NPCs).

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line from a 21-year-old X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) patient.

X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a genetic disease that caused by mutations in adenosine triphosphate [ATP]-binding-cassette transporter superfamily D member 1 (ABCD1) gene. We generated an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line from a 21-year-old male X-ALD patient-derived fibroblasts by Sendai virus mediated reprogramming. Established iPSCs stably expanded while maintaining immunoreactivity for various pluripotency markers and alkaline phosphatase, as well as normal 44+XY karyotype.