In Vitro Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases

With advances in science and technology, the average human life span has increased significantly in the past few decades, leading to a rising prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases as a major group of age-related disorders. In light of the growing clinical burden, developing robust models of neurodegenerative diseases is crucial for a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and development of therapeutics. The limited translational potential of animal models warrants the use of human in vitro neural model systems as an alternative for these studies. Expanding knowledge of the in vivo microenvironment combined with technological innovations has resulted in the development of increasingly sophisticated in vitro neural culture models that recapitulate aspects of in vivo-like tissues. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the different in vitro culture systems that have been developed to date for modelling the nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases.