TY - JOUR T1 - A novel approach to derive human midbrain-specific organoids from neuroepithelial stem cells JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/061077 SP - 061077 AU - Anna S. Monzel AU - Lisa M. Smits AU - Kathrin Hemmer AU - Siham Hachi AU - Edinson Lucumi Moreno AU - Thea van Wuellen AU - Ronan M.T. Fleming AU - Silvia Bolognin AU - Jens C. Schwamborn Y1 - 2016/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/06/28/061077.abstract N2 - Research on human brain development and neurological diseases is limited by the lack of advanced experimental in vitro models that truly recapitulate the complexity of the human brain. Furthermore, animal models of human neurodegenerative diseases have failed dramatically, and the success rate of clinical trials based on these models has been disappointing. Here, we describe a novel and robust human brain organoid system that is highly specific to the midbrain derived from regionally patterned neuroepithelial stem cells. These human midbrain organoids contain spatially organized groups of dopaminergic neurons, which make them an attractive model to study Parkinson’s disease. Midbrain organoids are characterized in detail for neuronal, astroglial and oligodendrocyte differentiation. Furthermore, we show the presence of synaptic connections and electrophysiological activity. The complexity of this model is further highlighted by the myelination of neurites. The present midbrain organoid system has the potential to be used for advanced in vitro disease modeling and therapy development. ER -