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Folic acid deficiency inhibits neural rosette formation and neuronal differentiation from rhesus monkey embryonic stem cells
Author(s) -
Chen Yongchang,
Wang Zhengbo,
Xie Yunhua,
Guo Xiangyu,
Tang Xianghui,
Wang Shufen,
Yang Shihua,
Chen Kai,
Niu Yuyu,
Ji Weizhi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.23030
Subject(s) - neural stem cell , neurogenesis , nestin , biology , embryonic stem cell , progenitor cell , microbiology and biotechnology , embryoid body , stem cell , neurosphere , cellular differentiation , neuroscience , adult stem cell , biochemistry , gene
Evidence from epidemiological studies has proved that periconceptional use of folic acid (FA) can significantly reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). However, it is hard to explore when and how FA plays roles in neurogenesis and brain development in vivo, especially in human or other nonhuman primate systems. Primate embryonic stem cell (ESC) lines are ideal models for studying cell differentiation and organogenesis in vitro. In the present study, the roles of FA in neural differentiation were assessed in a rhesus monkey ESC system in vitro. The results showed no significant difference in the expression of neural precursor markers, such as nestin, Sox‐1, or Pax‐6, among neural progenitors obtained from different FA concentrations or with the FA antagonist methotrexate (MTX). However, FA depletion decreased cell proliferation and affected embryoid body (EB) and neural rosette formation, as well as neuronal but not neuroglia differentiation. Our data imply that the ESC system is a suitable model for further exploring the mechanism of how FA works in prevention of NTDs in primates. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.