Open AccessDeterminants of the Epithelial-Muscular Axis on Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Gut-Like Structures
Author(s) -
Yi Luo,
Miyako Takaki,
Hiromi Misawa,
Hiroko Matsuyoshi,
Tomonori Sasahira,
Yoshitomo Chihara,
Kenichi Fujii,
Hitoshi Ohmori,
Hiroki Kuniyasu
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
pathobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1423-0291
pISSN - 1015-2008
DOI - 10.1159/000317636
Subject(s) - motility , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , epithelium , embryonic stem cell , anatomy , genetics , gene
Dome-like structures with epithelial-muscular layers resembling the gut have been derived from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. These domes have been reported to show spontaneous contractions and are called ES gut. In the present study, we examined the epithelial-muscular axis of these domes by detecting differentiation markers. A normal epithelial-muscular axis was exhibited in the domes with spontaneous motility, whereas the domes without spontaneous motility showed either an inverted or obscure axis. To investigate the factors affecting the epithelial-muscular axis, we examined the expression of hedgehog signaling factors in the domes. Expression of hedgehog family factors was detected in the epithelial components of the domes with motility, whereas this expression was inverted or obscure in the domes without motility. Out of the 25 domes, 10 of the 10 motility (+) domes showed a normal epithelial-muscular axis, whereas 14 of the 15 motility (-) domes lacked a normal epithelial-muscular axis. This implies that activin A upregulated the expression of sonic hedgehog and intestinal alkaline phosphatase in the embryoid bodies. These findings suggest that the motility of the ES gut depends on the domes' epithelial-muscular axis.