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Induced dopaminergic neurons: A new promise for Parkinson's disease

  • Zhimin Xu
  • , Xingkun Chu
  • , Houbo Jiang
  • , Haley Schilling
  • , Shengdi Chen
  • , Jian Feng
  • Department of Veterans Affairs
  • SUNY Buffalo
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

Motor symptoms that define Parkinson's disease (PD) are caused by the selective loss of nigral dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Cell replacement therapy for PD has been focused on midbrain DA neurons derived from human fetal mesencephalic tissue, human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). Recent development in the direct conversion of human fibroblasts to induced dopaminergic (iDA) neurons offers new opportunities for transplantation study and disease modeling in PD. The iDA neurons are generated directly from human fibroblasts in a short period of time, bypassing lengthy differentiation process from human pluripotent stem cells and the concern for potentially tumorigenic mitotic cells. They exhibit functional dopaminergic neurotransmission and relieve locomotor symptoms in animal models of Parkinson's disease. In this review, we will discuss this recent development and its implications to Parkinson's disease research and therapy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)606-612
Number of pages7
JournalRedox Biology
Volume11
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2017

Keywords

  • Induced dopaminergic neuron
  • Induced neuron
  • Induced pluripotent stem cell
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Transcription factor

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