title: Differentiation of serum-free mouse embryo cells into astrocytes is accompanied by induction of glutamine synthetase activity.
abstract: Serum-free mouse embryo (SFME) cells derived in a defined serum-free medium have been cultured for more than 200 generations and display properties of neural progenitor cells. SFME cells express the neuroepithelial stem cell marker nestin in defined serum-free medium. Exposure of SFME cells to transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) or serum decreases nestin expression and induces the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein, suggesting that SFME cells differentiate into astrocytes upon exposure to TGF-beta or serum. We examined the expression by SFME cells of the functional central nervous system (CNS) astrocyte marker glutamine synthetase (GS). GS activity is induced in SFME cells upon exposure to TFG-beta or serum. The induction of GS activity was dose- and time-dependent and was reversible. Retinoic acid, hydrocortisone, and dibutyryl cyclic AMP also induced GS expression. The induction of GS activity was accompanied by an increase in the level of GS mRNA and protein. This work provides further evidence that SFME cells represent neural progenitor cells which differentiate into functional astrocytes upon exposure to TGF-beta or serum.
authors.affiliation: Irvine Research Unit in Brain Aging, University of California, USA.
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Althoen
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cotman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D015415:Biomarkers; D001769:Blood; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002606:Charcoal; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000494:pharmacology; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D064231:Nestin; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; D064231:Nestin; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D002606:Charcoal; D014212:Tretinoin; D014635:Valproic Acid; D003994:Bucladesine; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase; D006854:Hydrocortisone