In this presentation, Nan Yang will: - Introduce lineage conversion, a few principles on identifying transcription factors for different neuronal subtypes, and the application of the method. - Describe detailed procedure of generating induced neuronal cells from human iPS cells and create neuron & astroglia co-cultures. - Share troubleshooting tips for common problems.

In this presentation, Gabriele Ciceri will introduce experimental strategies to generate neurons from human pluripotent stem cells via directed differentiation. Specifically, Ciceri will: - Describe general principles of neuronal specification in vivo and their application to in vitro differentiation protocols. - Introduce how to mimic development in a dish. - Introduce paradigms for neural induction (PNS vs. CNS). - Describe specification of regional identity through integration of multiple patterning signals and generation of specific neuron type. - Explain how to control for lineage progression. - Describe validation of directed differentiations.