Fully defined NGN2 neuron protocol reveals diverse signatures of neuronal maturation.

Abstract

NGN2-driven induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-to-neuron conversion is a popular method for human neurological disease modeling. In this study, we present a standardized approach for generating neurons utilizing clonal, targeted-engineered iPSC lines with defined reagents. We demonstrate consistent production of excitatory neurons at scale and long-term maintenance for at least 150 days. Temporal omics, electrophysiological, and morphological profiling indicate continued maturation to postnatal-like neurons. Quantitative characterizations through transcriptomic, imaging, and functional assays reveal coordinated actions of multiple pathways that drive neuronal maturation. We also show the expression of disease-related genes in these neurons to demonstrate the relevance of our protocol for modeling neurological disorders. Finally, we demonstrate efficient generation of NGN2-integrated iPSC lines. These workflows, profiling data, and functional characterizations enable the development of reproducible human in vitro models of neurological disorders.