Aberrant mitochondrial function is associated with many neurological diseases. Mitophagy is a key mechanism for the elimination of damaged mitochondria and maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technologies developed over the last decade have allowed us to analyze functions of the human neuron. Here we describe an efficient induction method from human iPS cells to neurons, followed by an image-based mitophagy assay.
Keywords: Autophagy; Mitophagy; Neurons; Parkinson’s disease; iPS cells.