Human iPSC-derived astrocytes transplanted into the mouse brain undergo morphological changes in response to amyloid-β plaques

A new method developed by a group of scientists led by Ikerbasque researcher Amaia Arranz pioneers the transplantation of human astrocytes into mice brains. To study the effects of Alzheimer’s disease in a more natural environment, these scientists transplanted human astrocytes into mouse brains containing amyloid plaques, one of the main hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.

The results of their research showed that human astrocytes that developed in this environment undergo morphological transformations becoming hypertrophic or atrophic in response to the amyloid plaques on a process that seems independent of the ApoE genotype. Their results are published in Molecular Neurodegeneration.