Year 2
The overall objectives for this proposal are to create in vitro human neurodegenerative disease models for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an adult onset fatal motoneuron disease. Using gene targeting, site-specific integration and reprogramming technology, we have created ALS disease models in human pluripotent stem cells and generated neural lineage reporters which will facilitate the downstream efforts on systemic characterization of these diseased cell lines, at undifferentiated stage and after forced lineage differentiation toward motoneurons and astrocytes. We have optimized protocols for gene targeting using homologous recombination and site-specific integration and insertion. The novel targeting protocol combined with our experience on directed differentiation along the neural lineage are useful tools to pathogenesis research for ALS, as well as to other neural and non-neural diseases, including Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.