| abstract |
Materials and Methods related to Dickkopfs and Neurogenesis Abstract Methods for promoting dopaminergic neuronal development and producing neural cells having a dopaminergic phenotype. Dopaminergic neural cells may be used for treating individuals having a neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's disease. Dopaminergic cells may be implanted into the brain of the individual, and/or dopaminergic neural development may be induced or enhanced in the brain of the individual. Methods comprise treating the cell with a Dkk ligand, such as any one of Dkk1 to Dkk4 or a fragment thereof comprising a cysteine rich domain, or a Dkk receptor such as LRP5 or LRP6, thereby producing or enhancing proliferation, self-renewal, survival and/or dopaminergic induction, differentiation, survival or acquisition of a neuronal dopaminergic phenotype. The cell may be co-cultured with astrocytes or glial cells and may be contacted with an FGF growth factor. Dopaminergic neurons may also be useful in drug/toxicology testing and for target development or drug discovery. |