Journal of Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Abstract

Myelination of Motor Neurons Derived from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells by Oligodendrocytes Derived from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in a Microfluidic Compartmentalized Platform

Su Liu, Ping Xiang, Aysel Cetinkaya Fisgin, Visar Belegu, Nitish V Thakor, John W McDonald and In Hong Yang

Neuronal cell death and demyelination are devastating aspects of neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury. Stem cell derived neurons and oligodendrocytes have shown potential as therapeutics for replacement of damaged neurons and remyelination of demyelinated axons in the central nervous system (CNS). However, in some cases, the neurons and axons are damaged so severely that they should be replaced. In this paper, we examined the hypothesis that stem cell derived oligodendrocytes can myelinate axons of stem cell derived motor neurons in a microfluidic platform, which mimics the isolated in vivo environment. The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic platform achieves compartmentalization of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) derived motor neurons and mESCs derived oligodendrocytes, while allowing the axons of the motor neurons to pass through microchannels and reach the oligodendrocytes. As results show, axons of mESCs derived motor neurons were subjected to myelination by mESCs derived oligodendrocytes shown by myelin basic protein immunostaining and electron microscopy. These functioning neuron and oligodendrocyte units may be a very useful tool to study stem cell replacement therapies for nerve injuries where nerve reconstruction would be beneficial.