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Fralish Z, Lotz EM, Chavez T, Khodabukus A, Bursac N. Neuromuscular Development and Disease: Learning From in vitro and in vivo Models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:764732. [PMID: 34778273 PMCID: PMC8579029 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.764732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized cholinergic synaptic interface between a motor neuron and a skeletal muscle fiber that translates presynaptic electrical impulses into motor function. NMJ formation and maintenance require tightly regulated signaling and cellular communication among motor neurons, myogenic cells, and Schwann cells. Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) can result in loss of NMJ function and motor input leading to paralysis or even death. Although small animal models have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of the NMJ structure and function, the complexities of studying this multi-tissue system in vivo and poor clinical outcomes of candidate therapies developed in small animal models has driven the need for in vitro models of functional human NMJ to complement animal studies. In this review, we discuss prevailing models of NMDs and highlight the current progress and ongoing challenges in developing human iPSC-derived (hiPSC) 3D cell culture models of functional NMJs. We first review in vivo development of motor neurons, skeletal muscle, Schwann cells, and the NMJ alongside current methods for directing the differentiation of relevant cell types from hiPSCs. We further compare the efficacy of modeling NMDs in animals and human cell culture systems in the context of five NMDs: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, and Pompe disease. Finally, we discuss further work necessary for hiPSC-derived NMJ models to function as effective personalized NMD platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Fralish
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Ethan M Lotz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Taylor Chavez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Alastair Khodabukus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Nenad Bursac
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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Skeletal Muscle Cell Induction from Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells Int 2017; 2017:1376151. [PMID: 28529527 PMCID: PMC5424488 DOI: 10.1155/2017/1376151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have the potential to differentiate into various types of cells including skeletal muscle cells. The approach of converting ESCs/iPSCs into skeletal muscle cells offers hope for patients afflicted with the skeletal muscle diseases such as the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Patient-derived iPSCs are an especially ideal cell source to obtain an unlimited number of myogenic cells that escape immune rejection after engraftment. Currently, there are several approaches to induce differentiation of ESCs and iPSCs to skeletal muscle. A key to the generation of skeletal muscle cells from ESCs/iPSCs is the mimicking of embryonic mesodermal induction followed by myogenic induction. Thus, current approaches of skeletal muscle cell induction of ESCs/iPSCs utilize techniques including overexpression of myogenic transcription factors such as MyoD or Pax3, using small molecules to induce mesodermal cells followed by myogenic progenitor cells, and utilizing epigenetic myogenic memory existing in muscle cell-derived iPSCs. This review summarizes the current methods used in myogenic differentiation and highlights areas of recent improvement.
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Chal J, Al Tanoury Z, Hestin M, Gobert B, Aivio S, Hick A, Cherrier T, Nesmith AP, Parker KK, Pourquié O. Generation of human muscle fibers and satellite-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells in vitro. Nat Protoc 2016; 11:1833-50. [PMID: 27583644 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2016.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Progress toward finding a cure for muscle diseases has been slow because of the absence of relevant cellular models and the lack of a reliable source of muscle progenitors for biomedical investigation. Here we report an optimized serum-free differentiation protocol to efficiently produce striated, millimeter-long muscle fibers together with satellite-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in vitro. By mimicking key signaling events leading to muscle formation in the embryo, in particular the dual modulation of Wnt and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway signaling, this directed differentiation protocol avoids the requirement for genetic modifications or cell sorting. Robust myogenesis can be achieved in vitro within 1 month by personnel experienced in hPSC culture. The differentiating culture can be subcultured to produce large amounts of myogenic progenitors amenable to numerous downstream applications. Beyond the study of myogenesis, this differentiation method offers an attractive platform for the development of relevant in vitro models of muscle dystrophies and drug screening strategies, as well as providing a source of cells for tissue engineering and cell therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérome Chal
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaireet Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS (UMR 7104), Inserm U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ziad Al Tanoury
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaireet Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS (UMR 7104), Inserm U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Marie Hestin
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bénédicte Gobert
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaireet Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS (UMR 7104), Inserm U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Suvi Aivio
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Aurore Hick
- Anagenesis Biotechnologies, Parc d'innovation, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Thomas Cherrier
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaireet Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS (UMR 7104), Inserm U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Alexander P Nesmith
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin K Parker
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Olivier Pourquié
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaireet Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS (UMR 7104), Inserm U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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