About the Project

AxSCs allow for the in-depth study of spinal development, the development of the peripheral nervous system, as well as its interplay with for example skeletal muscle. These are important structures which are frequently attacked by degenerative diseases such as ALS. AxSCs facilitate disease modelling and drug screening as they are capable of closely mimicking these structures in a highly efficient manner, providing electrophysiologically active neurons in less than 2 weeks, greatly improving previous protocols.

This project builds upon the discovery of AxSCs and their in-depth characterization (D. Kelle, et al. 2024. Capture of Human Neuromesodermal and Posterior Neural Tube Axial Stem Cells. BioRxiv.). Key points include:

• Creating more distinct AxSC-derived spinal cord progenitors, particularly for motor- and sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system.
• Generation of self-organizing caudal neural tube organoids, modelling secondary neurulation.
• Creating AxSCs from various species (in conjunction with work from the John Templeton Foundation) from which our lab has already banked a variety of stem cells and somatic cells, for the investigation of interspecies differences in development and longevity. Such comparisons will allow a better understanding of human development.

The work on axial stem cells, primarily performed by Ruben de Vries, Yuting Wang and Benjamin Tak, is funded through the Lingling Wiyadharma Fund. Founded by Leiden University alumnus Hans van der Valk, he generously supports various research projects in the natural sciences in loving memory of his wife, Lingling Wiyadharma.