Therapeutic Applications of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Use in Parkinson’s Disease Models

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder resulting from the loss of particular nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neuron projections. Current treatments only address the symptoms of PD and do not work to repair the causative neurodegeneration. Using both Ovid MEDLINE (n = 10) and Google Scholar (n = 10), we conducted a literature search relevant to treating the underlying causes of this disease with induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) therapy. In vitro studies of iPSC lines have demonstrated their ability to model neurodegeneration in DA neurons in addition to specific genetic risk factors, allowing for personalized pharmacological testing and treatment. In vivo studies have progressed over the last decade demonstrating the clinical safety and efficacy of iPSC transplantation in primate and human models. We present research that improves limitations of current methods, such as purification techniques, specific differentiation markers, cryopreservation of iPSCs, and CORIN sorting technology for large-scale production. Due to the evolution and improvement of these methods, we encourage the advancement and expansion of domestic PD-focused iPSC clinical trials.