Abstract
The main objectives of this review are to survey the current literature on the role of epigenetics in determining the fate of stem cells and to assess how this information can be used to enhance the treatment strategies for some neurodegenerative disorders, like Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Some of these epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation and histone modifications, which have a direct impact on the way that genes are expressed in stem cells and how they drive these cells into a mature lineage. Understanding how the stem cells are behaving and giving rise to mature cells can be used to inform researchers on effective ways to design stem cell-based treatments. In this review article, the way in which the basic understanding of how manipulating this process can be utilized to treat certain neurological diseases will be presented. Different genetic factors and their epigenetic changes during reprogramming of stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have significant potential for enhancing the efficacy of cell replacement therapies.
Highlights
All cells in an organism are derived from pre-existing cells, beginning with the fertilized egg, which forms the blastocyst, which, in turn, gives rise to the cells of the entire organism [1]
It was found that when induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are produced from embryonic stem cells (ESCs), the epigenetic profile and gene expression profile were maintained with minimal differences
Understanding the epigenetic mechanisms influencing the differentiation of stem cells, in terms of passage number and culture conditions, including the use of appropriate supplements, are important variables for creating the type of cells that will provide the most effective treatment for neurodegenerative diseases
Summary
All cells in an organism are derived from pre-existing cells, beginning with the fertilized egg, which forms the blastocyst, which, in turn, gives rise to the cells of the entire organism [1]. MSCs can be altered to express glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) to promote dopaminergic neuronal sprouting to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD) These MSCs can be used to overexpress nerve growth factor (NGF) to alleviate memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) [9]. Knowing why certain cells utilize epigenetic processes during differentiation, both in vitro and in vivo, may help us devise new ways in which the epigenetic process can be used to enhance or control proliferation and differentiation of stem cells In this context, our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in epigenetic control of stem cell differentiation into various cell lineages, with special attention as to how these mechanisms can be leveraged as therapeutic tools for various neurological diseases, will be reviewed
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
