title: Factors regulating the differentiation of neural precursors in the forebrain.
abstract: Precursors from the neuroepithelium of the developing cortex and the adult subventricular zone can be cloned in vitro after stimulation with fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), and they have the potential to give rise to both neurons and glia. The generation of neurons from these clones can be stimulated by either a factor derived from an astrocyte precursor line, Ast-1, or FGF-1. We have shown that neuronal differentiation stimulated by FGF-1 can be inhibited by diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor and mimicked by arachidonic acid, suggesting that the neuronal differentiation is signalled through the phospholipase C gamma pathway. The sequential expression of FGF-2, followed by FGF within the developing forebrain neuroepithelium, fits with the different functions that the two FGFs play in precursor regulation. We have shown that the precursor response to FGF-1 is regulated by a heparan sulphate proteoglycan expressed within the developing neuroepithelium. Precursors restricted to the astrocyte cell lineage can be stimulated by epidermal growth factor or FGF-2F however, the differentiation into glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes appears to require a cytokine acting through the leukaemia inhibitory factor-beta receptor.
authors.affiliation: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Bartlett
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kilpatrick
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Talman
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Brooker
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dutton
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Koblar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nurcombe
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Ford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology