2025/11/25 by Saeed Kayhanian, Roger A. Barker · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · Neuroscience · #Biomedical Ethics and Regulation #Nerve injury and regeneration #Pluripotent Stem Cells Research
paper · doi:10.1177/1877718x251397277
openalex created_date 2025/11/25 · openalex publication_date 2025/11/25 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder, which is characterised by motor features, many of which relate to the loss of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway. The use of grafted cells to replace the lost dopaminergic neurons as a therapy for Parkinson's has been explored since the 1980s, with mixed clinical outcomes. Much of the heterogeneity in outcomes has been related to the major problems with the cell source for these trials, being derived from human fetal brain tissue. It is, however, now possible to derive authentic midbrain dopamine cells from human pluripotent stem cells and several first-in-human clinical trials are now underway to explore this approach.