Three-dimensional co-culturing reveals human stem cell-derived somatostatin interneurons with subclass expression
(2025) In Stem Cell Reports 20(9).- Abstract
Cortical interneuron deficiencies, particularly involving the somatostatin (SST) subtypes, contribute to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. These interneurons are difficult to derive in vitro from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) due to their late embryonic development and dependence on glial interaction. To this end, we developed a three-dimensional co-culture model of hESC-derived neurons, enabling long-term development, functional maturity, and neuron-glial interaction. Under these conditions, hESCs successfully differentiated into functional GABAergic interneurons expressing the SST gene and protein within 50 days. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing revealed transcripts for SST subclasses, including Martinotti, non-Martinotti,... (More)
Cortical interneuron deficiencies, particularly involving the somatostatin (SST) subtypes, contribute to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. These interneurons are difficult to derive in vitro from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) due to their late embryonic development and dependence on glial interaction. To this end, we developed a three-dimensional co-culture model of hESC-derived neurons, enabling long-term development, functional maturity, and neuron-glial interaction. Under these conditions, hESCs successfully differentiated into functional GABAergic interneurons expressing the SST gene and protein within 50 days. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing revealed transcripts for SST subclasses, including Martinotti, non-Martinotti, and long-projecting neurons, that have not yet been described for hESC cultures. Upon injection into forebrain organoids, the interneuron progenitors spread and functionally matured while retaining their SST subclass identities, suggesting cell-intrinsic fate specification. Our in vitro model provides a robust platform for studying human SST interneurons, offering new avenues for investigating their role in health and disease.
(Less)
- author
- organization
-
- Regenerative Neurophysiology (research group)
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology (research group)
- StemTherapy: National Initiative on Stem Cells for Regenerative Therapy
- MultiPark: Multidisciplinary research focused on Parkinson's disease
- Computational Science for Health and Environment (research group)
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC)
- MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system
- BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate
- publishing date
- 2025-09
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- 3D cell culture, astrocytes, disease modelling, GABAergic interneurons, glia precursor, hESC, MGE, neuroscience, patch-clamp electrophysiology, somatostatin
- in
- Stem Cell Reports
- volume
- 20
- issue
- 9
- article number
- 102634
- publisher
- Cell Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105015078609
- pmid:40930061
- ISSN
- 2213-6711
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.stemcr.2025.102634
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- ba435447-b816-427b-b3f3-0e695fd43743
- date added to LUP
- 2025-10-15 11:52:58
- date last changed
- 2025-11-12 13:52:42
@article{ba435447-b816-427b-b3f3-0e695fd43743,
abstract = {{<p>Cortical interneuron deficiencies, particularly involving the somatostatin (SST) subtypes, contribute to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. These interneurons are difficult to derive in vitro from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) due to their late embryonic development and dependence on glial interaction. To this end, we developed a three-dimensional co-culture model of hESC-derived neurons, enabling long-term development, functional maturity, and neuron-glial interaction. Under these conditions, hESCs successfully differentiated into functional GABAergic interneurons expressing the SST gene and protein within 50 days. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing revealed transcripts for SST subclasses, including Martinotti, non-Martinotti, and long-projecting neurons, that have not yet been described for hESC cultures. Upon injection into forebrain organoids, the interneuron progenitors spread and functionally matured while retaining their SST subclass identities, suggesting cell-intrinsic fate specification. Our in vitro model provides a robust platform for studying human SST interneurons, offering new avenues for investigating their role in health and disease.</p>}},
author = {{Bruzelius, Andreas and Stamouli, Christina Anastasia and Hölldobler, Anna Lena and Aretio-Medina, Constanza and Cepeda-Prado, Efrain and Sozzi, Edoardo and Passarello, Germán Ramos and Nocera, Gianluigi and Giacomoni, Jessica and Olariu, Victor and Rylander Ottosson, Daniella}},
issn = {{2213-6711}},
keywords = {{3D cell culture; astrocytes; disease modelling; GABAergic interneurons; glia precursor; hESC; MGE; neuroscience; patch-clamp electrophysiology; somatostatin}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{9}},
publisher = {{Cell Press}},
series = {{Stem Cell Reports}},
title = {{Three-dimensional co-culturing reveals human stem cell-derived somatostatin interneurons with subclass expression}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.stemcr.2025.102634}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.stemcr.2025.102634}},
volume = {{20}},
year = {{2025}},
}
