ArticleMilitary Medical Research2020
Efficient and rapid conversion of human astrocytes and ALS mouse model spinal cord astrocytes into motor neuron-like cells by defined small molecules.
Article in Military Medical Research, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 38 citations in OpenAlex.
- Building on a Solid Foundation: Adding Relevance and Reproducibility to Neurological Modeling Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.Frontiers in cellular neuroscience · 2021Pooled it
- Therapeutic potential of astrocyte transdifferentiated neurons.Neural regeneration research · 2026Article
- Ferroptosis modulation enhances astrocyte-to-neuron conversion induced by a novel chemical cocktail in the hemorrhagic brain.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026Article
- The Mechanisms and Application Prospects of Astrocyte Reprogramming into Neurons in Central Nervous System Diseases.Current neuropharmacology · 2026Review
- Ptbp1 knockdown induces conversion of rat spinal cord astrocytes into neuron like cells.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Glial Cell Reprogramming in Ischemic Stroke: A Review of Recent Advancements and Translational Challenges.Translational stroke research · 2025Review
- Cell and tissue reprogramming: Unlocking a new era in medical drug discovery.Pharmacological reviews · 2025Review
- Ptbp1 Knockdown in Glial Cells Promotes Motor and Sensory Function Recovery After Peripheral Nerve Injury.CNS neuroscience & therapeutics · 2025Article
- Activation of FANCC attenuates mitochondrial ROS-driven necroptosis by targeting TBK1-dependent mitophagy in astrocytes after spinal cord injury.Theranostics · 2025Article
- Using Small Molecules to Reprogram RPE Cells in Regenerative Medicine for Degenerative Eye Disease.Cells · 2024Review
- A promise for neuronal repair: reprogramming astrocytes into neurons in vivo.Bioscience reports · 2024Review
- Somatic Cell Reprogramming for Nervous System Diseases: Techniques, Mechanisms, Potential Applications, and Challenges.Brain sciences · 2023Review
- A cutting-edge strategy for spinal cord injury treatment: resident cellular transdifferentiation.Frontiers in cellular neuroscience · 2023Review
- Ginsenoside Rg1 promotes astrocyte-to-neuron transdifferentiation in rat and its possible mechanism.CNS neuroscience & therapeutics · 2023Article
- Dynamic 3D Combinatorial Generation of hPSC-Derived Neuromesodermal Organoids With Diverse Regional and Cellular Identities.Current protocols · 2022Article
- Application of Small Molecules in the Central Nervous System Direct Neuronal Reprogramming.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2022Review
- Correction to: Efficient and rapid conversion of human astrocytes and ALS mouse model spinal cord astrocytes into motor neuron-like cells by defined small molecules.Military Medical Research · 2021Article
- Repair cell first, then regenerate the tissues and organs.Military Medical Research · 2021Article
- Review
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMotor neuron degeneration or loss in the spinal cord is the characteristic phenotype of motor neuron diseases or spinal cord injuries. Being proliferative and located near neurons, astrocytes are considered ideal cell sources for regenerating neurons.
methodsWe selected and tested different combinations of the small molecules for inducing the conversion of human and mouse astrocytes into neurons. Microscopic imaging and immunocytochemistry analyses were used to characterize the morphology and phenotype of the induced neurons while RT-qPCR was utilized to analyze changes in gene expression. In addition, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were measured to examine the electrophysiological properties of induced neurons.
resultsThe results showed that human astrocytes could be rapidly and efficiently converted into motor neuron-like cells by treatment with defined small molecules, with a yield of over 85% motor neuron-like cells attained. The induced motor neuron-like cells expressed the pan-neuronal markers TUJ1, MAP2, NeuN, and Synapsin 1 and motor neuron markers HB9, ISL1, CHAT, and VAChT. During the conversion process, the cells did not pass through a proliferative neural progenitor cell intermediate. The induced motor neurons were functional, showing the electrophysiological properties of neurons. The same chemical cocktail could induce spinal cord astrocytes from an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mouse model carrying a SOD1 mutation to become motor neuron-like cells that exhibited a decrease in cell survival and an increase in oxidative stress compared to that observed in wild-type MNs derived from healthy mice. Moreover, the chemical induction reduced oxidative stress in the mutant astrocytes.
conclusionThe results of the present study demonstrated the feasibility of chemically converting human and mouse astrocytes into motor neuron-like cells that are useful for neurodegenerative disease modeling and regenerative medicine.
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