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The role of aggregation in embryonal carcinoma cell differentiation
Author(s) -
Smith Steven C.,
Reuhl Kenneth R.,
Craig Jane,
McBurney Michael W.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/jcp.1041310112
Subject(s) - cytokeratin , epithelium , myofibril , myocyte , cell , myosin , microbiology and biotechnology , ultrastructure , endoderm , biology , chemistry , cardiac muscle , embryonal carcinoma , cell culture , cellular differentiation , anatomy , biochemistry , immunology , immunohistochemistry , genetics , gene
Cultures of the P19 line of embryonal carcinoma cells differentiate into various cell types including cardiac muscle when aggregated and exposed to medium containing 1% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). DMSO‐treated aggregates became completely covered with an epithelial cell type 3 to 4 days following drug exposure. This epithelial cell was tentatively identified as primitive extraembryonic endoderm by its ultrastructural appearance and its possession of cytokeratin intermediate filaments. Muscle cells developed within the interior of DMSO‐treated aggregates. They first became apparent 5 to 6 days after DMSO exposure and were characterized by the presence of striated muscle‐specific myosin, immature myofibrils, and intercalated discs. We determined the proportion of cells developing into epithelium and muscle in aggregates of various sizes and showed that the proportion of epithelium was highest in small aggregates whereas muscle cells developed only in aggregates of relatively large size. The muscle was usually associated with necrotic areas which developed within the interior of large aggregates. Our results suggest that cardiac muscle differentiation in the aggregates requires both the DMSO‐induced formation of an epithelial cell coat and one other condition which may be the proximity to necrotic areas.