Cellular models based on reprogrammed human cells could boost the development of new efficient therapies in the fight against neuropathies and, at the same time, reduce the use of experimentation animals in the laboratory.
Cellular models based on reprogrammed human cells could boost the development of new efficient therapies in the fight against neuropathies and, at the same time, reduce the use of experimentation animals in the laboratory. Studies on diseases that affect the human brain are usually based on animal models which cannot reproduce the complexity of human neuropathies. Therefore, these methodologies often fail when applied in a clinical environment with patients. In this context, the findings of the cellular reprogramming techniques to generate cultures of human neurons using skin cells have revolutionised the study and development of innovative therapies in neurosciences. A study published in the journal Stem Cells Reports reveals that this cellular reprogramming methodology allows the creation of neural networks that reproduce unique characteristics of human cells —different to those obtained from rodent cells— with temporary dynamics that remind of the human brain development. Therefore, cellular models based on reprogrammed human cells could boost the development of new efficient therapies in the fight against neuropathies and, at the same time, reduce the use of experimentation animals in the laboratory. The study is led by researcher Daniel Tornero, from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Institute of Neurosciences of the UB (UBNeuro) and IDIBAPS.
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