cAMP is involved in the differentiation of human teratocarcinoma cells.
The generation of fully differentiated post-mitotic human neuronal cells from stem cells (human teratocarcinoma (hNT2) cells) might enable the development of a co-culture model of human neurons with human Schwann cells (SCs). This co-culture model is an important tool to study formation of myelin sheaths. However, the thin process of the post-mitotic human neuronal cells formed under known culture conditions do not provide a good substrate for human SCs to start myelination. We optimized the culture conditions of these cells to obtain axons with a larger diameter. Western blotting and immunofluorescence studies were performed to confirm the neuronal status of the cells and diameter of the processes. In this study, we show that addition of cAMP-inducing factors to hNT2 cells resulted in rapid morphological changes including the development of processes with a larger diameter.
De Jonge
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RR
Neurozintuigen Laboratorium, Academic Medical Center, The, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Van Schaik
I N
IN
Vermeulen
M
M
Kwa
M S
MS
Baas
F
F
D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D054278:Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology
D007328:Insulin; D020890:Neuregulin-1; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D005576:Colforsin; D014212:Tretinoin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine