Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived Neuronal Cell Cultures in Drug Discovery and Development

This chapter evaluates the impact of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neuronal cell cultures for drug screening in neurodegenerative disorders. Human iPSC-derived cell cultures have generated great expectations for the improvement of the drug screening and development process. However, the major hurdle in the drug development process of new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases is the efficacy of the new compounds. The process of developing new concepts for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases is challenging and has resulted in only a few new therapies in the last decades. Human iPSC-derived cultures are becoming a standard technology for studying disease mechanisms, validating drug candidates, and potentially developing drug screening approaches. In this review, we summarize the technologies that have been used to date in drug screening for neurodegenerative diseases. Emerging powerful technologies with respect to the differentiation using transcription factors, three-dimensional cultures, or the use of microfluidics are beyond the scope of this chapter.