NU 2009-173 

Inventors

Christopher Bissonnette 

John Kessler* 

Short Description

Novel method for generating functional human cholinergic neurons from stem cells

Abstract

Northwestern researchers have developed a method to generate fully functional human basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) from stem cells, which holds promise for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) therapy. The loss of BFCNs occurs in the early stages of disease, and it is believed that reversing this process could be essential to developing a viable treatment strategy. The BFCNs generated in Prof. Kessler's laboratory have relevant markers of cholinergic neurons and can be generated to a high purity of up to 94%. These cells also integrate into functional synapses in mouse brain tissue, opening up the possibility that the same could be achieved in humans with patient-derived BFCNs. In addition, this invention could be used in pharmacological studies for identification of new Alzheimer's drugs or for studying their mode of action. 

Applications

• Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease
• Drug screening
• Pharmacological studies

Advantages

• Non- pharmacologic alternative for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Publication 

Bissonnette C, Lyass L, Bhattacharyya B, Belmadani A, Miller R, Kessler J (2011)  The Controlled Generation of Functional Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons from Human Embryonic Stem Cells.  Stem Cells.  29: 802-811. 

IP Status

Issued US patent 8,796,022