Open AccessNeural Crest Specification by Inhibition of the ROCK / M yosin II Pathway
Author(s) -
Kim Kyeongmi,
Ossipova Olga,
Sokol Sergei Y.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.1877
Subject(s) - neural crest , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , wnt signaling pathway , neural plate , neural fold , myosin , ectoderm , neurulation , population , progenitor cell , stem cell , embryogenesis , signal transduction , embryo , gastrulation , demography , sociology
Neural crest is a population of multipotent progenitor cells that form at the border of neural and non‐neural ectoderm in vertebrate embryos, and undergo epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and migration. According to the traditional view, the neural crest is specified in early embryos by signaling molecules including BMP, FGF, and Wnt proteins. Here, we identify a novel signaling pathway leading to neural crest specification, which involves Rho‐associated kinase (ROCK) and its downstream target nonmuscle Myosin II. We show that ROCK inhibitors promote differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into neural crest‐like progenitors (NCPs) that are characterized by specific molecular markers and ability to differentiate into multiple cell types, including neurons, chondrocytes, osteocytes, and smooth muscle cells. Moreover, inhibition of Myosin II was sufficient for generating NCPs at high efficiency. Whereas Myosin II has been previously implicated in the self‐renewal and survival of hESCs, we demonstrate its role in neural crest development during ESC differentiation. Inhibition of this pathway in Xenopus embryos expanded neural crest in vivo, further indicating that neural crest specification is controlled by ROCK‐dependent Myosin II activity. We propose that changes in cell morphology in response to ROCK and Myosin II inhibition initiate mechanical signaling leading to neural crest fates. S tem C ells 2015;33:674–685