Mouse embryonic stem cell-derived cerebral organoids

A key property of embryonic stem (ES) cells that has made them attractive tools for many scientists is their pluripotency—the ability to give rise to a wide variety of specialized cell types, including neurons. Many different types of neurons have been successfully derived from mouse ES cells, including forebrain (Gaspard et al., 2009), midbrain (Jaeger et al., 2011) and cerebellum (Muguruma et al., 2010). ES cells are therefore useful tools for researchers interested in understanding how the brain develops normally during embryogenesis. It is important to understand this process because it will allow us to better understand the root causes of neurodevelopmental disorders which can arise when embryonic brain development goes wrong, ultimately leading to better ways to treat these disorders.