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Expression of Cdk5 and its activators in NT2 cells during neuronal differentiation
Author(s) -
Fu WingYu,
Wang Jerry H.,
Ip Nancy Y.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2002.00856.x
Subject(s) - cyclin dependent kinase 5 , cellular differentiation , cyclin dependent kinase , microbiology and biotechnology , retinoic acid , biology , kinase , cell cycle , p19 cell , protein kinase a , cell , cell culture , cyclin dependent kinase 2 , biochemistry , genetics , gene , adult stem cell
We have recently developed a rapid protocol involving NT2 cell aggregation and treatment with retinoic acid (RA) to produce terminally differentiated CNS neurons. As a first step to explore the functional roles of cell‐cycle regulatory proteins in the process of neuronal differentiation, the expression profiles of cyclin‐dependent kinases (Cdks) and their regulators were examined in NT2 cells following treatment with RA. One of the Cdks, Cdk5, has been demonstrated to affect the process of neuronal differentiation and suggested to play an important role in development of the nervous system. We found that the expression of Cdk5 was gradually increased, while its activators (p35 and p39) as well as Cdk5 kinase activity were induced in NT2 cells during the process of neuronal differentiation. Moreover, both p35 and p39 were localized along the axons and varicosity‐like structures of differentiated NT2 neurons. Taken together, our results demonstrated that NT2 cells provide a good in vitro model system to examine signaling pathways involved in the regulation of Cdk5 activators and to elucidate the functional roles of Cdk5 in neuronal differentiation.