Control of cell fate decisions in neurogenesis: use of embryonic stem cells to investigate key signalling systems and gene expression programs

人类胚胎干细胞(HESC)具有为神经科学和生物医学应用的基础研究提供无限来源的特定亚型人类神经元的潜力。目前，由于在体外分化过程中缺乏对谱系承诺的控制，hESC的使用受到限制。这个项目将使用工程报告hESC株来研究哪些细胞信号通路和基因表达程序涉及控制细胞的命运。该项目将改进hESC分化方案，允许丰富特定神经元亚型的培养，并在理解脑发育过程中神经元谱系承诺和成熟方面取得重大进展。

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have the potential to provide an unlimited source of specific subtypes of human neurons for basic studies in neuroscience and biomedical applications. The use of hESC is limited at present by a lack of control over lineage commitment during differentiation in vitro. This project will use engineered reporter hESC lines to investigate which cell signalling pathways and gene expression programs are involved in controlling cell fate. The project will result in improved protocols for hESC differentiation allowing enrichment of cultures with specific neuronal subtypes, and significant advances in the understanding of neuronal lineage commitment and maturation during brain development.