Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41230551›Full record

ArticleBio-protocol2025

Generation of 3D Human iPSC-Derived Multi-Cell Type Neurospheres for Studying Neuron, Astrocyte, and Microglia Crosstalk.

Stefan Wendt, Christopher Lee, Wenji Cai, Ada J Lin, Jessica Huang, V Poon, Xianyuan Xiang, Wei Hong, Brian A MacVicar, Haakon B Nygaard

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Bio-protocol, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–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

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Astrocyte-driven multicellular mechanisms of CNS repair and cerebroprotection.Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
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

10 authors.

Stefan WendtDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, VCR, Canada.
Christopher LeeDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, VCR, Canada.
Wenji CaiDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, VCR, Canada.
Ada J LinDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, VCR, Canada.
Jessica HuangDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, VCR, Canada.
V PoonFaculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Xianyuan XiangFaculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Wei HongShenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunomodulation for Neurological Diseases, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Brian A MacVicarDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, VCR, Canada.
Haakon B NygaardDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, VCR, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) human brain tissue models derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have transformed the study of neural development and disease in vitro. While cerebral organoids offer high structural complexity, their large size often leads to necrotic core formation, limiting reproducibility and challenging the integration of microglia. Here, we present a detailed, reproducible protocol for generating multi-cell type 3D neurospheres that incorporate neurons, astrocytes, and optionally microglia, all derived from the same iPSCs. While neurons and astrocytes differentiate spontaneously from neural precursor cells, generated by dual SMAD-inhibition (blocking BMP and TGF-b signaling), microglia are generated in parallel and can infiltrate the mature neurosphere tissue after plating neurospheres into 48-well plates. The system supports a range of downstream applications, including functional confocal live imaging of GCaMP6f after adeno-associated virus (AAV) transduction of neurospheres or immunofluorescence staining after fixation. Our approach has been successfully implemented across multiple laboratories, demonstrating its robustness and translational potential for studying neuron-glia interactions and modeling neurodegenerative processes. Key features • Reproducible human iPSC-derived 3D neurosphere multi-cell type tissue culture system. • Optional addition of microglia allows for studying neuron-microglia interaction in vitro in 3D. • Reliable spontaneous activity offers functional tissue culture readouts of neural firing. • System allows modeling of human brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Indexed as

3D neural tissueIn vitro disease modelingiPSC-derived cellsMicrogliaNeuro–glia interaction

Identifiers

PMID41230551
PMCPMC12602176

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.