Electrophysiological properties of neural stem cell-derived midbrain neurons reveal functional dopaminergic differentiation as prerequisite for therapeutic approaches

Neural progenitor cells existing in the developing and adult brain retain the capacity to self renew and to produce the major cell types of the brain opening new strategies for restorative therapy of neuropsychiatric disorders. These cells can be grown in vitro while retaining the potential to differentiate into nervous tissue. A primary target for neurorestoration is Parkinson's disease, characterized by a continuous loss of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta leading to dopamine depletion in the striatum and subsequent clinical symptoms including bradykinesia, rigidity and tremor. We…