Previous research has shown that mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be induced to form neural cells in adherent monocultures.In this study,pluripotent stem (iPS) C5 cells derived from meningeal membranes were converted successfully into neural-like cells using the same protocol generally used for ES cells.Meningeal-iPS C5 cells were induced to express neural markers Sox1,Sox3,Pax6,Nestin and Tuj1 and to reduce the expression of ES markers Oct4 and Nanog during neural differentiation,and can be differentiated into Pax6 and Nestin positive neural progenitors,and further into neuronal,astrocytic,and oligodendrocytic cells.In vitro differentiation of iPS cells into patient-specific neural cells could serve as a model to study mechanisms of genetic diseases and develop promising candidates for therapeutic applications in dysfunctional or aging neural tissues.Meningeal cells express a high level of the embryonic master regulator Sox2,allowing them to be reprogrammed into iPS cells more easily than other somatic cells.
