Telencephalic tissue formation in 3D stem cell culture

Abstract

The telencephalon is one of the most complex regions of the brain, and it plays important roles in higher brain functions in humans. However, due to the poor accessibility of human brain tissue for research, it has been difficult to explore the mechanisms of human brain development and function. Recent advances in stem cell technology now enable us to generate telencephalic tissues from human pluripotent stem cells. This may become a powerful tool for examining developmental processes or disease mechanisms related to the telencephalon. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances in the recapitulation of telencephalic tissues in vitro, mainly focusing on three-dimensional (3D) culture of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Ventral and dorsal telencephalic tissues can now be sufficiently induced using specific media that support the differentiation of each tissue type. The generation of telencephalic tissues from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) provides a new experimental platform for biomedical research, such as disease modeling, drug screening, and cell-based transplantation therapy.