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Review
. 2024 Feb 28;14(1):127.
doi: 10.1038/s41398-024-02780-8.

Comparing stem cells, transdifferentiation and brain organoids as tools for psychiatric research

Alfredo Bellon  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Comparing stem cells, transdifferentiation and brain organoids as tools for psychiatric research

Alfredo Bellon. Transl Psychiatry. .

Abstract

The inaccessibility of neurons coming directly from patients has hindered our understanding of mental illnesses at the cellular level. To overcome this obstacle, six different cellular approaches that carry the genetic vulnerability to psychiatric disorders are currently available: Olfactory Neuroepithelial Cells, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Pluripotent Monocytes, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Induced Neuronal cells and more recently Brain Organoids. Here we contrast advantages and disadvantages of each of these six cell-based methodologies. Neuronal-like cells derived from pluripotent monocytes are presented in more detail as this technique was recently used in psychiatry for the first time. Among the parameters used for comparison are; accessibility, need for reprograming, time to deliver differentiated cells, differentiation efficiency, reproducibility of results and cost. We provide a timeline on the discovery of these cell-based methodologies, but, our main goal is to assist researchers selecting which cellular approach is best suited for any given project. This manuscript also aims to help readers better interpret results from the published literature. With this goal in mind, we end our work with a discussion about the differences and similarities between cell-based techniques and postmortem research, the only currently available tools that allow the study of mental illness in neurons or neuronal-like cells coming directly from patients.

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Conflict of interest statement

The protocol on transdifferentiation of human monocytes into neuronal-like cells discussed in this manuscript is patented in the USA (99932556 (B2)) and Europe (2862926 (A1 & B1)). This patent is held by AB in collaboration with other researchers as well as INSERM and SATT IDF-Innov. The author reports no other financial conflict of interest related to this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Timeline on the discovery of stem cells and other cellular research tools used in psychiatry.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Light microscopy photographs.
A Human monocytes shortly after isolation from blood. B Monocyte-Derived-Neuronal-like cell (MDNC) displaying bipolar shape. C Human Developing Neuron (HDN) after 5 days in culture displaying bipolar shape. D MDNC displaying multipolar shape. E HDN after 5 days in culture displaying multipolar shape. Magnification 20×. Scale bar = 20 µm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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