Open AccessDefining a Developmental Path to Neural Fate by Global Expression Profiling of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells and Adult Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells
Author(s) -
Aiba Kazuhiro,
Sharov Alexei A.,
Carter Mark G.,
Foroni Chiara,
Vescovi Angelo L.,
Ko Minoru S.H.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1634/stemcells.2005-0332
Subject(s) - biology , embryonic stem cell , neural stem cell , neurosphere , progenitor cell , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , adult stem cell , neuroepithelial cell , gene expression profiling , cellular differentiation , gene expression , genetics , gene
To understand global features of gene expression changes during in vitro neural differentiation, we carried out the microarray analysis of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), embryonal carcinoma cells, and adult neural stem/progenitor (NS) cells. Expression profiling of ESCs during differentiation in monolayer culture revealed three distinct phases: undifferentiated ESCs, primitive ectoderm‐like cells, and neural progenitor cells. Principal component (PC) analysis revealed that these cells were aligned on PC1 over the course of 6 days. This PC1 represents approximately 4,000 genes, the expression of which increased with neural commitment/differentiation. Furthermore, NS cells derived from adult brain and their differentiated cells were positioned along this PC axis further away from undifferentiated ESCs than embryonic stem–derived neural progenitors. We suggest that this PC1 defines a path to neural fate, providing a scale for the degree of commitment/differentiation.