Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40122897›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Astrocyte-secreted cues promote neural maturation and augment activity in human forebrain organoids.

Honghui Zheng, Yilin Feng, Jiyuan Tang, Feifei Yu, Zitian Wang, Jiani Xu, Cheng Hai, Mingyue Jiang, Yifan Cheng, Zhicheng Shao and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. [Organoid-based strategies and challenges in tissue regeneration].Zhonghua shao shang yu chuang mian xiu fu za zhi · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. GLP-1R agonist semaglutide protects human forebrain organoids from cholesterol-induced neurotoxicity.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. A Role for Astrocyte Metabolism in Species-Specific Neuronal Development.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Insights gained from single-cell sequencing analysis of ischemic stroke.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026
    Review
  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. From Pluripotency to Patients: Making Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) Therapies Safer.International journal of molecular and cellular medicine · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Honghui Zheng *Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-6734-7710
Yilin Feng *Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.
Jiyuan Tang *Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.
Feifei Yu *Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-2305-6925
Zitian WangTsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.
Jiani XuTsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-2305-2581
Cheng HaiTsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.
Mingyue JiangGuangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.
Yifan ChengTsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.
Zhicheng ShaoInstitute for Translational Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institute of Pediatrics, National Children's Medical Center, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4383-119X
Ning MaSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Peter E LobieTsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8445-184X
Shaohua MaTsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China. ma.shaohua@sz.tsinghua.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4995-2032

Funding

National Science Foundation of China | National Natural Science Foundation of China-Yunnan Joint Fund (NSFC-Yunnan Joint Fund) 32371470National Science Foundation of China | National Natural Science Foundation of China-Yunnan Joint Fund (NSFC-Yunnan Joint Fund) 82341019
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Brain organoids have been proposed as suitable human brain model candidates for a variety of applications. However, the lack of appropriate maturation limits the transferability of such functional tools. Here, we present a method to facilitate neuronal maturation by integrating astrocyte-secreted factors into hPSC-derived 2D and 3D neural culture systems. We demonstrate that protein- and nutrient-enriched astrocyte-conditioned medium (ACM) accelerates neuronal differentiation with enlarged neuronal layer and the overproduction of deep-layer cortical neurons. We captured the elevated changes in the functional activity of neuronal networks within ACM-treated organoids using comprehensive electrophysiological recordings. Furthermore, astrocyte-secreted cues can induce lipid droplet accumulation in neural cultures, offering protective effects in neural differentiation to withstand cellular stress. Together, these data indicate the potential of astrocyte secretions to promote neural maturation.

Indexed as

AstrocytesNeurogenesisNeuronsOrganoidsProsencephalonCell DifferentiationCulture Media, ConditionedHumansLipid DropletsCulture Media, Conditioned

Identifiers

PMID40122897
PMCPMC11930946

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.