Methods for differentiating stem cells are disclosed herein. These methods can be used to generate neurons, including, but not limited to, dopaminergic neurons. The disclosed methods include culturing stem cells in the absence of fibroblast growth factor-2 to generate embryoid bodies and culturing the embryoid bodies in the presence of an effective amount of at least one of stromal cell-derived factor 1, pleiotrophin, insulin-like growth factor 2, and ephrin B1 on an extracellular matrix for a period of time sufficient to produce dopaminergic neuronal cells. The differentiated cells can be used to study pharmaceutical agents that affect dopaminergic neurons and can be used in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinsons disease.
