title: Induction of c-fos and AFP expression in a differentiating teratocarcinoma cell line.
abstract: The introduction of a c-fos expression vector has been shown to potentiate spontaneous differentiation in teratocarcinoma cells. We have studied a teratocarcinoma stem cell line which can be induced to differentiate with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) to determine endogenous c-fos expression during the process of differentiation. c-Fos expression increases dramatically as P19S1801A1 embryonal carcinoma cells are induced to differentiate into a variety of cell types. Expression peaks 12 days after the start of aggregate culture about the same time as alphafetoprotein (AFP), a characteristic of visceral endoderm differentiation, as demonstrated by RNA hybridization to specific probes, ELISA, and immunofluorescent staining with specific antibodies. However, most differentiated cells expressed c-fos, while AFP was expressed in a minor fraction (less than 5%). The data suggest that c-fos is correlated with differentiation of teratocarcinoma cells but not specifically to visceral endoderm formation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004707:Endoderm / Q000166:cytology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051379:Mice; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013724:Teratoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins