Brain organoids have been proposed as suitable human brain model candidates for a variety of applications. However, the lack of appropriate maturation limits the transferability of such functional tools. Here, we present a method to facilitate neuronal maturation by integrating astrocyte-secreted factors into hPSC-derived 2D and 3D neural culture systems. We demonstrate that protein- and nutrient-enriched astrocyte-conditioned medium (ACM) accelerates neuronal differentiation with enlarged neuronal layer and the overproduction of deep-layer cortical neurons. We captured the elevated changes in the functional activity of neuronal networks within ACM-treated organoids using comprehensive electrophysiological recordings. Furthermore, astrocyte-secreted cues can induce lipid droplet accumulation in neural cultures, offering protective effects in neural differentiation to withstand cellular stress. Together, these data indicate the potential of astrocyte secretions to promote neural maturat

Glaucomatous optic neuropathy, or glaucoma, is the world’s primary cause of irreversible blindness. Glaucoma is comorbid with other neurodegenerati...

Abstract. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects nearly 3% of children and has a strong genetic component. While hund

In recent years, valuable mRNA-based developmental atlases of the mouse brain have been made available. Here, the authors use single-cell mass cytometry to build a protein-based single-cell profiling ...

Astroglial clones vary in distribution, within or across cortical layers. Distribution of clones depends on their origin. Layer-specific clones have fewer, less dispersed cells. Juxtavascular clones...

Transient exposure to ketamine can trigger lasting changes in behavior and mood. We found that brief ketamine exposure causes long-term suppression of…

Extrasinusoidal dural macrophages are a distinct subset of immunologically active central nervous system–associated macrophages.