EX-1, a surface antigen of mouse neuronal progenitor cells and mature neurons.
Using membrane fragments of PCC7-Mz1 embryonal carcinoma cells, an established in vitro model of neural differentiation (Lang et al., J. Cell Biol., 109 (1989) 2481-2493), we have raised monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against developmental stage-specific cell surface antigens. As shown by double-immunofluorescence labeling studies, employing differentiating PCC7-Mz1 cells, primary cultures of mouse cerebellum cells and cryosections of mouse brain and other tissues, rat mAb anti-mouse EX-1 recognizes a membrane protein which is exclusively expressed by cells of the neuronal cell lineage. EX-1-expressing neuronal precursor cells were identified by double labeling with antibodies directed against stem cell markers or BrdU, EX-1-expressing postmitotic neurons by labeling with antibodies directed against phenotypic markers. In the developing mouse brain, the EX-1 antigen is expressed in the neuroepithelium already at prenatal day 8, i.e. clearly before the onset of mature neuron-specific marker expression. Increasing co-expression with the latter is observed from embryonic day E10 throughout neuronal maturation, but not with markers of other cell types tested. From these studies, the EX-1 antigen is the earliest marker for the mouse brain neuronal cell lineage so far discovered.
Müller-Husmann
G
G
Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Medical School, Mainz, Germany.
Reinhardt
S
S
Stähle
M
M
Lang
E
E
Maelicke
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000939:Epitopes; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D051381:Rats; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015415:Biomarkers; D000939:Epitopes; D014212:Tretinoin; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine