Abstract: The present invention relates to the targeted engineering of specific cell populations. Motoneurons (MN) subtypes display differential vulnerabilities in diseases and in spinal injuries. Engineered MNs of specific rostro-caudal identity represent an important resource for cell therapy approaches. However, these strategies remain impeded by slow and inefficient targeted differentiations due to the imprecise control over cell fate specification in vitro. The inventors now used an embryoid body-based differentiation of hPSC and showed that the HOX clock expression can be controlled to generate subtypes of spinal MNs.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed at providing molecular tools and methods for transgenes integration in the genome of host cells, in particular tools and method enabling a transposition-dependent expression of the transgene, thereby facilitating identification and selection of effectively transformed hosts.