Table 1.

Some major differences between primates and rodents that are relevant to the topic of this review

Significant differences between primates and rodents
1. Pluripotent cells (embryonic stem cells and iPS cells) are at a different developmental stage in primates and rodents.
2. Conditions for pluripotent growth in culture are different.
3. Strategies for neural differentiation from pluripotent cells are different.
4. The central nervous system of primates is substantially more complex than that of rodents, and some circuitry is different.
5. Behavioral tests and tests of learning and memory are limited in rodents in comparison to tests that can be performed in primates.
6. Some drugs and toxins act in primates and not in rodents, and vice versa.
7. Differences in the immune-system reaction to pathogens.

Notes: Because of the significant differences between primates and rodents, nonhuman primate models have an important role in the development of patient-specific induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for neurological disease modeling.