# The Use of Neurons Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells to Study Nerve–Cancer Cell Interactions

## TL;DR

This paper explores using human stem cell-derived neurons to study how nerves interact with cancer cells in humans.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel approach using human pluripotent stem cells to investigate nerve-cancer cell interactions.

## Key findings

- Human pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into neurons suitable for studying tumor innervation.
- Current models lack the ability to study human-specific nerve-cancer cell interactions.
- This method could help uncover mechanisms of tumor innervation in humans.

## Abstract

Tumor innervation is a complex interaction between nerves and cancer cells that consists of axons invading tumors, and its complexity remains largely unknown in humans. Although some retrospective studies have provided important insights into the relationship between nerves and tumors, further knowledge is required about this biological process. Animal experiments have elucidated several molecular and cellular mechanisms of tumor innervation; however, no experimental models currently exist to study interactions between human cancer and nerve cells. Human pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into neurons for research purposes; however, the use of these neurons to study interactions with cancer cells remains largely unexplored. Hence, here we analyze the potential of human pluripotent stem cells to study the interaction of cancer cells and neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells to unravel the poorly understood mechanisms of human tumor innervation.