Module 2A: Directing the Differentiation of hPSCs Toward Neuronal Identities

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.

Learning Objectives

After watching this presentation, participants at all career stages should be able to:

• Summarize the rationale of directed neuronal differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells.
• Describe how to apply the use of small molecules/morphogens to generate major neuron types.
• Introduce step-wise quality control criteria to assure the generation of the desired neuron type and eventually adjust conditions/troubleshoot the differentiations.

Supporting Resources

Download this guide to access resources that supplement Ciceri’s presentation.

Speaker

Gabriele Ciceri, PhD

Gabriele Ciceri is a research fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). He received his BS and MS in pharmaceutical biotechnology from the University of Milan, in Italy, and completed his MS thesis at San Raffaele Scientific Institute, also in Milan, in the laboratory of Ivan de Curtis. Prior to obtaining his PhD in neuroscience from the Miguel Hernández University, in Spain, he joined the laboratory of Oscar Marín at the Neuroscience Institute, in Alicante, Spain, to study the principles of lineage development and the generation of cell diversity in the mammalian cerebral cortex. He then joined the lab of Lorenz Studer in the Center for Stem Cell Biology at MSKCC as a postdoctoral fellow. Ciceri’s current research interests include the specification of CNS neuron identities from human pluripotent stem cells and defining the mechanisms controlling developmental timing of human neuronal maturation.