"Microfluidic Gradient-Based Model Mimics Early Human Central Nervous System Development"

Researchers have developed a human pluripotent stem cell-based microfluidic neural tube-like structure (μNTLS) that mimics critical aspects of neural patterning in both brain and spinal cord regions along rostral-caudal and dorsal-ventral axes. This model was used to study neuronal lineage development, revealing prepatterning of axial identities of neural crest progenitors and the functional roles of neuromesodermal progenitors and caudal gene CDX2 in spinal cord and trunk neural crest development. Additionally, the researchers developed microfluidic forebrain-like structures (μFBLS) with spatially segregated dorsal and ventral regions, promising for studying human neurodevelopment and disease.