Investigating the ageing-Parkinson’s disease nexus: standardisation of in vitro models and techniques by the PD-AGE network

Ageing is the primary risk factor for Parkinson’s disease, yet the intricate interplay between these processes remains ambiguous. This position paper, a collaborative output from the PD-AGE consortium, addresses the urgent need for standardising methods in in vitro modelling. A panel of international experts recommends human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived models, with chemically induced ageing methods, such as the SLO cocktail, as a robust system. Furthermore, the consortium highlights the value of direct and semi-direct reprogramming for retaining donor-specific ageing phenotypes. The paper also outlines a prioritised panel of measurable parameters, categorised into senescence, inflammaging, omics profiling, and mitochondrial dysfunction, providing a consistent framework to enhance research reproducibility, investigating the nexus of ageing and Parkinson’s. In addition, we provide links to SOPs to measure the key measurable ageing parameters outlined in this review to facilitate consistency and reproducibility within the field.