Neural Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Abstract

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and their neural derivatives hold great potential for developing therapies for treating disorders and injuries of the nervous system. It is therefore imperative that the methods used for differentiating hESC to neurons and glia be robust and well characterized. This chapter describes the efficient generation of neural progenitors from hESC using the BMP inhibitor protein, Noggin, their expansion as neurospheres, and subsequent differentiation into neurons and glia. This protocol has been used as an in vitro model for understanding neural differentiation of hESC as well as for deriving neural progenitors for treating neurodegenerative disorders. Since the ove..