Molecular Diversity of Midbrain Development in Mouse, Human, and Stem Cells

Manno and colleagues used single-cell RNA sequencing to examine ventral midbrain development in humans and mice. They found that cell types and gene expression were generally conserved across species, but with clear differences in cell proliferation, developmental timing, and dopaminergic neuron development. Additionally, they quantitatively assessed the fidelity of dopaminergic neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells, at a single-cell level. The study provides insight into the molecular programs controlling human midbrain development and provides a foundation for the development of cell replacement therapies.