title: Effects of beta-mercaptoethanol-containing medium and feeder cells on the differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells.
abstract: Pluripotent, feeder-dependent teratocarcinoma cell lines were cultured without a feeder layer in a medium containing 10(-4) M beta-mercaptoethanol (beta-medium) and compared for the development of early markers with cells cultured with a feeder layer. The cells cultured in beta-medium lost the PNA (peanut agglutinin) receptor typically at low density. This change was accompanied with enhanced secretion of plasminogen activator and the loss of sensitivity to anti-F9 serum, indicating the stem cell differentiation. In contrast, the cells cultured on a feeder layer did not show any marker changes, thus indicating the lack of differentiation. These results indicate that while the presence of feeder cells inhibits cell differentiation, cultivation in beta-medium permits the differentiation of pluripotent teratocarcinoma cells.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002999:Clone Cells; D003470:Culture Media; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008623:Mercaptoethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology; D010641:Phenotype; D013724:Teratoma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D008623:Mercaptoethanol