Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived primary proprioceptive neurons as Friedreich ataxia cell model

Chiara Dionisi, Myriam Rai, Marine Chazalon, Serge Schiffmann, Massimo Pandolfo, bioRxiv 829358 doi:10.1101/829358

We modified the dual-SMAD inhibition/WNT activation protocol, previously used to generate nociceptor-enriched cultures of primary sensory neurons from iPSCs, to favor instead the generation of proprioceptors. We succeeded in substantially enriching iPSC-derived primary sensory neuron cultures in proprioceptors, largely exceeding the proportion normally represented by these cells in dorsal root ganglia. We also showed that almost pure populations of proprioceptors can be purified from these cultures by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Finally, we demonstrated that iPSCs from a FRDA patient can generate normal appearing proprioceptors but have subtle differentiation deficits and more limited survival.