Contributed by James O'Callaghan, Continuing Education Committee (2012–2013) and Timothy Shafer
A Continuing Education Course entitlted "The Practice and Implementation of Neural Stem Cell-Based Approaches to Neurotoxicology" was presented at the SOT 52nd Annual Meeting on March 10, 2013.
Embryonic and inducible stem cell derived neurons from human cells are powerful tools for toxicologists and provide tissue that is otherwise unobtainable. This includes renewable sources of neural tissue from the same genetic stock that is not transformed or tumor-derived, and sources of nervous system tissue from patients with clinical disease. However, culture and differentiation of hNSC is more difficult and complex than culture of primary or transformed neural tissue.
This course brought together experts in the implementation of the techniques used for various types of neural stem cells to discuss the basic approaches to culturing different types of hNSC. Pitfalls that are both common to the different models as well as unique ones were described. The course provided an overview of state-of-the-art knowledge regarding different types of neural stem cell cultures, the techniques to successfully culture and differentiate these models, and application of these model systems to neurotoxicology.