Modeling Neurogenetic and Inflammatory Neurodevelopmental Disorders with Stem Cell Platforms

  • 14k

    Total Downloads

  • 57k

    Total Views and Downloads

Submit your idea

Select the journal/section where you want your idea to be submitted:

Submit your manuscript summarySubmit your manuscript

About this Research Topic

Submission closed

Background

In recent years there has been a renewed interest on understanding the molecular basis of neurological diseases whose phenotypes are present in early stages of development and childhood. The unprecedented access to sophisticated tools of molecular biology and genetics has allowed for a better understanding of these diseases, including developmental malformation, microcephaly, autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, and early onset zika related-microcephaly among others.

New development in genetic technologies have revolutionized the way that these diseases are studied, including novel techniques of cellular reprogramming that permit the generation of patient-derived cells, such as inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to model the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie the pathology of these diseases. In addition, to advance our understanding there is also opportunities to understand the impact of evolutionary forces on the normal human brain development.

All this new knowledge has been possible by the utilization of new stem cells platforms that are ex-vivo cell cultures techniques to recapitulate the disease process in a personalized manner. There are multiple stem cell based techniques for modeling disease including both two and three-dimensional (2D & 3D) approaches. In particular 3D organoid cultures have shown the extraordinary ability to replicate the early stages of human development. Therefore, stem cell derived neural models, allow us to recapitulate and dissect early human fetal neuronal development that would be otherwise inaccessible. Despite, all these advances there are significant challenges and roadblocks to utilize stem cell platforms as a robust translational tool to understand the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders and the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

As editors, we have contributed to the field of stem cells in the understanding of early stages of neural stem cells development and microcephaly, the responses of neural stem cells (NSCs) to injury, the utilization of patient derived cells to model neurogenetic disorders and in vivo modeling of neuronal pathology in neurodevelopmental diseases.

In this supplement, we propose to address with the help of our contributors, the most significant and challenging questions remaining in this exciting field to date. We will attempt to bring contributors that will include 2D and 3D stem cell platforms and that will address the following topics:

1) The use of inducible patient derived stem cells to study human development in vitro and in vivo, technical developments
2) The use of organoids to model early stages of brain organogenesis, limitation, self-organization, differentiation, and disease
3) Development of organoids with vasculature to overcome restriction in size in the organoids and expand human neural development in vitro
4) ELSI (ethical, legal, societal issues) issues related to developing self-organized human brain tissue in vitro from patients, especially the formation of limited neural circuits and the emergence of limited neural connectivity
5) Modeling brain connectivity in organoids
6) Phenotypes and genotypes correlation of stem cells models of neurogenetic disorders
7) Modeling complex neurogenetic disorders that involve immunity in the CNS. Aicardi Goutierres syndrome, Nasu-Hakola, leukodystrophies
8) Modeling the role of adaptive and non-adaptive immunity on neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, Zika virus infection
9) Clinical translational studies currently based on findings accomplished with stem cells derived neural models

We hope to address the most significant issues in the field and produce an authoritative supplement that will be used by all the readership of Frontiers.

Keywords: neurogenic disorders, inflammatory neurodevelopmental disorders, neurological disease, neural models

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Topic editors

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and they fall under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

      In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

     

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

     

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.

     

Participating Journals

Impact

  • 57kTopic views
  • 41kArticle views
  • 14kArticle downloads
View impact