iPSCs and NSCs model newborn brain injury

iPSCs and NSCs model newborn brain injury This article discusses research by Dr. Lee J. Martin and his team on HIE, a leading cause of neonatal mortality. They use human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and neural stem cells (NSCs) and emphasize the vulnerability of oligodendrocytes, sharing how these cells can accumulate toxic misfolded proteins, potentially causing severe neural damage and long-term cognitive disabilities in affected infants. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in infants. Birth asphyxia causes nearly one million neonatal deaths worldwide annually. Therapeutic opportunities are very limited for HIE babies. Mild hypothermia (HT) reduces the risk of death or disability. It is the standard of clinical care for term pregnancy HIE in Western countries, but ~50% of the infants treated with HT die or suffer persistent and potentially lifelong neurologic and cognitive disabilities. Specific neural systems and populations of cells in the brain are selectively vulnerable in HIE.