Researchers in Sweden have made a significant breakthrough in the field of personalized cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. By developing an innovative microfluidic platform, they have found a faster and more efficient way to reprogram regular skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and then further transform them into neural stem cells.
The study, published in Advanced Science, was led by researchers from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Karolinska Institutet, and Lund University. The team, headed by Saumey Jain and Anna Herland, says it has demonstrated the first-ever use of microfluidics to direct the conversion of iPSCs into neural stem cells.
The two-stage process involves first inducing skin cells into iPSCs, which have the ability to generate different cell types. These iPSCs are then transferred to a culture medium that mimics the signaling cues and developmental processes involved in the formation of the nervous system, a stage known as neural differentiation.
The researchers found that the confined environment of the microfluidic platform significantly boosts the commitment of cells to their neural fate, leading to a more efficient and earlier generation of neural stem cells compared to the conventional well plate format.
"This marks a step towards making personalized cell-based therapies for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's accessible," said Jain. The microfluidic chip is easy to fabricate, cost-effective, and can be easily modified to enable adaptability for differentiation into other cell types. Additionally, the closed system ensures consistency and reliability in producing highly homogenous cell populations.