Figure 2

Generation of human motor neurons from human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. A schematic representation for motor neuron (MN) generation in vitro is shown. The first step in pluripotent stem cell - human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) - differentiation is the attainment of embryoid bodies (EBs) in suspension or neural rosettes in adhesion conditions. These neural precursors can be successfully differentiated in MNs (characterized by specific features) with different multistage experimental protocols. hESC- or iPSC-derived MNs are a promising research tool to model and study in vitro pathological mechanisms underlying MN diseases in humans. These MNs could also represent an appealing source for autologous cell replacement. RA, retinoic acid; Shh, Sonic hedgehog.