Neural Stem Cells (NSCs)

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are a type of stem cell that can differentiate into the main types of cells found in the nervous system: neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. These cells are capable of self-renewal and can generate the various cell types that make up the nervous system.

How are NSCs used in neuroscience research? 

NSCs are valuable tools in neuroscience research due to their ability to self-renew, differentiate into multiple neural cell types, and model various aspects of the nervous system. Their versatility and relevance to human biology make them an ideal tool for studying neural development, disease mechanisms, drug screening, and potential therapeutic applications. 
 

NSCs are being used to:

• Understand how the nervous system develops and the role of different cell types.
• Create models of neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis to study disease mechanisms and test potential treatments.
• Test the efficacy and safety of new drugs targeting neurological conditions.
• Explore the potential to repair or replace damaged neural tissue in conditions like spinal cord injuries and stroke.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) can be generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using a variety of methods that promote neural induction. The earliest developed methods relied on embryoid body (EB) formation and creation of neural rosettes. Although this process mimics early embryonic development, it is prone to heterogeneity and is a more time-consuming method. Methods leveraging monolayer culture and exposure to neural induction factors or dual-SMAD inhibition help provide a simpler and more homogenous approach. The neural induction factors that drive NSCs in monolayer culture can also be adapted to suspension cultures, allowing controlled neural induction in a 3D environment. The choice of method for generating NSCs from iPSCs depends on the specific needs of the research. 
 

Many NSC-based studies require efficient delivery of nucleic acids to modulate gene expression or introduce reporters. Chemical transfection reagents such as Lipofectamine reagents enable gentle delivery for sensitive NSC cultures, while electroporation-based approaches like the Neon NxT Electroporation System offer high efficiency for more demanding genetic manipulations.