ABSTRACT
Less than 80 Sumatran rhinos (SR, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) are left on earth. Habitat loss and limited breeding possibilities are the greatest threats to the species and lead to a continuous population decline. To stop the erosion of genetic diversity, reintroduction of genetic material is indispensable. However, as the propagation rate of captive breeding is far too low, innovative technologies have to be developed. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a powerful tool to fight extinction. They give rise to each cell within the body including gametes and provide a unique modality to preserve genetic material across time. Additionally, they enable studying species-specific developmental processes. Here, we generate iPSCs from the last male Malaysian SR Kertam, who died in 2019, and characterize them comprehensively. Differentiation in cells of the three germ layers and cerebral organoids demonstrate their high quality and great potential for supporting the rescue of this critically endangered species.
ABSTRACT
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a major cause of familial nephrotic syndrome. We generated 20 induced pluripotent stem cell lines from patients diagnosed with FSGS. The iPSC lines include 8 female and 12 male lines and cover a donor age range from 31 to 78. The lines were generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by integration-free reprogramming using Sendai virus vectors. Cell lines were fully characterized regarding their pluripotency and differentiation potential, and quality controlled for karyotypic integrity, identity and clearance of reprogramming vectors. The generated cell lines represent a valuable tool for disease modelling and drug development for FSGS.
Subject(s)
Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental , Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells , Cell Line , Female , Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental/genetics , Humans , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , Male , Sendai virus/geneticsABSTRACT
The survival of developing dopaminergic neurons has been shown to be modulated by voltage-dependent mechanisms. Manipulation of these mechanisms in human neural progenitor cell cultures could improve the survival of immature dopaminergic neurons, and therefore aid research into pharmacological and cell replacement therapies for Parkinson's disease. Here, we examined the effect of the Na+ channel agonist veratridine on the human fetal neural progenitor ReNcell VM cell line. Neuronal differentiation was determined by immunocytochemistry, whereas patch clamp recordings showed the expression of functional voltage-gated sodium channels. Our results show that veratridine is neuroprotective in human fetal neural progenitor cells, which may benefit studies investigating neuronal development by reducing premature death amongst developing neurons.
