Correction of Hirschsprung-associated Mutations in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, via CRISPR/Cas9, Restores Neural Crest Cell Function

Hirschsprung disease is caused by failure of enteric neural crest cells (ENCCs) to fully colonize the bowel, leading to bowel obstruction and megacolon. Heterozygous mutations in the coding region of the RET gene cause a severe form of Hirschsprung disease (total colonic aganglionosis). However, 80% of HSCR patients have short-segment Hirschsprung disease (S-HSCR), which has not been associated with genetic factors. We sought to identify mutations associated S-HSCR, and used the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system to determine how mutations affect ENCC function.

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