Cited by 120Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsNeural dynamics and brain function

In vivo modeling of human neuron dynamics and Down syndrome

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Real, Raquel, Peter, Manuel, Trabalza, Antonio, Khan, Shabana, Smith, Mark A., Dopp, Joana, Barnes, Samuel J., Momoh, Ayiba +5 more·2018·Science

Abstract

Development of human brain neurons: The earliest stages of human brain development are very difficult to monitor, but using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can help to elucidate the process. Real et al. transplanted neural progenitors derived from human iPSCs into the brains of adult mice. They used intravital imaging to visualize how resulting neurons grew and connected. The human cells produced neurons that integrated and developed synaptic networks with oscillatory activity. Dendritic pruning was observed and involved a process of branch retraction, not degeneration. Cells derived from individuals with Down syndrome, upon transplantation into the mouse brain, produced neurons that grew normally but showed reduced dendritic spine turnover and less network activity. Science , this issue p. eaau1810

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.aau1810

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60 of 60 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • PSC-derived human cortical neurons transplanted as bulk cell populations displayed rapid dendritic spine turnover throughout the experiment and reached very limited levels of synaptic connectivity with the host brain.

    “This contrasts with recent findings in PSC-derived human cortical neurons transplanted as bulk cell populations, which displayed rapid dendritic spine turnover throughout the experiment (spine half-life <4 days versus 2 weeks at 3–4 months), and reached very limited levels of synaptic connectivity with the host brain (Real et al., 2018).”

    From Xenotransplanted human cortical neurons reveal species-specific development and functional integration into mouse visual circuits (2019) · cites this paper as Real et al., 2018

    In “Human synaptic development imaged in vivo” (page unavailable), the paper reports substantial spine turnover at 3 months, but lower turnover at 4 months; it could not quantify spine dynamics before 3 months. It does not establish a spine half-life of less than 4 days throughout the experiment. “Functional human cortical networks imaged in vivo” (page unavailable) supports limited host input: tracing found that 7.5% ± 1.5% of inputs came from host neurons. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Trisomic neuronal grafts show fewer bursting activity and reduced bursting frequency.

    “Fewer trisomic grafts exhibited bursting activity and those that did had reduced bursting frequency (Real et al., 2018).”

    From Neurodevelopment in Down syndrome: Concordance in humans and models (2022) · cites this paper as Real et al., 2018

    The section “Imaging human neuron structural and functional dynamics in Down syndrome” (page unavailable) reports reduced burst activity in Ts21 grafts. It does not specify that fewer grafts exhibited bursts or that the grafts which did burst had a lower bursting frequency. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Alterations in circuitry rather than intrinsic neuronal properties may be responsible for altered neuronal activity.

    “These activity changes indicate that it may be alterations in circuitry rather than changes in intrinsic neuronal properties that may be responsible for altered neuronal activity.”

    From Neurodevelopment in Down syndrome: Concordance in humans and models (2022) · cites this paper as Real et al., 2018

    The section “Imaging human neuron structural and functional dynamics in Down syndrome” reports reduced burst and global activity in trisomy 21 grafts, supporting the network-activity part of the claim. The Conclusion describes cell-intrinsic deficits, but the paper does not establish that circuitry changes, rather than changes in intrinsic neuronal properties, caused the altered activity. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • A recent study using in vivo imaging showed limited synaptic integration of human cortical pyramidal neurons in the mouse cortex.

    “A recent study using in vivo imaging showed limited synaptic integration of human cortical pyramidal neurons in the mouse cortex”
  • In xenografts of human iPSC-derived neurons into mouse brain, T21 neurons exhibit reduced network activity relative to control neurons.

    “More recently, xenografts of human iPSC-derived neurons into mouse brain revealed that, although both control neurons and T21 neurons can successfully incorporate into the mouse brain by forming synapses with the surrounding mouse neurons, T21 neurons exhibit reduced network activity relative to control neurons133.”

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Authors
Real, R., Peter, M., Trabalza, A., Khan, S., Smith, M. A., Dopp, J., Barnes, S. J., Momoh, A., Strano, A., Volpi, E., Knott, G., Livesey, F. J., & De Paola, V.
Affiliations
  • Universidade do Porto (PT)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • Imperial College London (GB)
  • UK Dementia Research Institute (GB)
  • University of Westminster (GB)
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
  • Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.
Corresponding author
  • Real, Raquel
  • Peter, Manuel
  • Trabalza, Antonio
  • Livesey, Frederick J.
Venue
Science
Published
2018-11-16
Volume
362
Issue
6416
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W2896561023
Cited by
120
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 4
FWCI
6.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • WestminsterResearch (University of Westminster) (acceptedVersion)
  • Lirias (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Spiral (Imperial College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion)
  • Apollo
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust
  • Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
Down syndrome, in vivo imaging, synaptic stability, neural oscillations, cortical development, patient-specific modeling
MeSH terms
Animals, Axons, Cerebral Cortex, Down Syndrome, Humans, Models, Biological, Neuroglia, Neuronal Plasticity, Neurons, Synapses, Mice, SCID, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton, Mice, Neurogenesis, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Neural Stem Cells, Single-Cell Analysis, Neuroimaging

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