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Differentiation of serum‐free mouse embryo cells into astrocytes is accompanied by induction of glutamine synthetase activity
Author(s) -
Loo D. T.,
Althoen M. C.,
Cotman C. W.
Publication year - 1995
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.490420205
Subject(s) - nestin , astrocyte , glutamine synthetase , glial fibrillary acidic protein , neuroepithelial cell , biology , progenitor cell , glutamine , cycloheximide , microbiology and biotechnology , chemically defined medium , medicine , transforming growth factor , neural stem cell , endocrinology , stem cell , biochemistry , protein biosynthesis , immunology , central nervous system , immunohistochemistry , amino acid , in vitro
Serum‐free mouse embryo (SFME) cells derived in a defined serum‐free medium have been cultured for more than 200 generations and display properties of neural progenitor cells. SFME cells express the neuroepithelial stem cell marker nestin in defined serumfree medium. Exposure of SFME cells to transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β) or serum decreases nestin expression and induces the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein, suggesting that SFME cells differentiate into astrocytes upon exposure to TGF‐β or serum. We examined the expression by SFME cells of the functional central nervous system (CNS) astrocyte marker glutamine synthetase (GS). GS activity is induced in SFME cells upon exposure to TGF‐β or serum. The induction of GS activity was dose‐ and time‐dependent and was reversible. Retinoic acid, hydrocortisone, and dibutyryl cyclic AMP also induced GS expression. The induction of GS activity was accompanied by an increase in the level of GS mRNA and protein. This work provides further evidence that SFME cells represent neural progenitor cells which differentiate into functional astrocytes upon exposure to TGF‐β or serum. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.