Biomaterial Database

Stem cell model of spinal muscular atrophy. 2010

Allison D Ebert, and Clive N Svendsen

Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Ave, Room 5033, Madison, WI 53705, USA. aebert@wisc.edu

Human embryonic stem cells provide a useful source of material for studying basic human development and various disease states. However, ethical issues concerning their procurement limit their acceptance and possible clinical applicability. Recent advances in stem cell technology have provided an alternative source of pluripotent stem cells that does not require the use of an embryo. This review addresses the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from skin fibroblasts taken from various patient populations, with a specific focus on the pediatric disorder spinal muscular atrophy. These patient-derived cells may help researchers devise more appropriate therapies through a greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie neuron dysfunction and death in a variety of diseases. Furthermore, they provide an ideal platform for small-molecule screening and subsequent drug development.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009134	Muscular Atrophy, Spinal	A group of disorders marked by progressive degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord resulting in weakness and muscular atrophy, usually without evidence of injury to the corticospinal tracts. Diseases in this category include Werdnig-Hoffmann disease and later onset SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHIES OF CHILDHOOD, most of which are hereditary. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1089)	Bulbospinal Neuronopathy,Oculopharyngeal Spinal Muscular Atrophy,Progressive Muscular Atrophy,Scapuloperoneal Form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy,Spinal Muscular Atrophy,Adult Spinal Muscular Atrophy,Adult-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy,Amyotrophy, Neurogenic Scapuloperoneal, New England Type,Distal Spinal Muscular Atrophy,Hereditary Motor Neuronopathy,Muscular Atrophy, Adult Spinal,Myelopathic Muscular Atrophy,Myelopathic Muscular Atrophy, Progressive,Progressive Myelopathic Muscular Atrophy,Progressive Proximal Myelopathic Muscular Atrophy,Proximal Myelopathic Muscular Atrophy, Progressive,Scapuloperoneal Spinal Muscular Atrophy,Spinal Amyotrophy,Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Distal,Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Oculopharyngeal,Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Scapuloperoneal,Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Scapuloperoneal Form,Adult Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy,Amyotrophies, Spinal,Amyotrophy, Spinal,Atrophies, Progressive Muscular,Atrophy, Myelopathic Muscular,Atrophy, Progressive Muscular,Atrophy, Spinal Muscular,Bulbospinal Neuronopathies,Hereditary Motor Neuronopathies,Motor Neuronopathies, Hereditary,Motor Neuronopathy, Hereditary,Muscular Atrophies, Progressive,Muscular Atrophy, Myelopathic,Muscular Atrophy, Progressive,Neuronopathies, Bulbospinal,Neuronopathies, Hereditary Motor,Neuronopathy, Bulbospinal,Neuronopathy, Hereditary Motor,Progressive Muscular Atrophies,Spinal Amyotrophies
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D005347	Fibroblasts	Connective tissue cells which secrete an extracellular matrix rich in collagen and other macromolecules.	Fibroblast
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D039904	Pluripotent Stem Cells	Cells that can give rise to cells of the three different GERM LAYERS.	Stem Cells, Pluripotent,Pluripotent Stem Cell,Stem Cell, Pluripotent