Differentiation of embryonic stem cells is induced by GATA factors.
Extraembryonic endoderm (ExE) is differentiated from the inner cell mass of the late blastocyst-stage embryo to form visceral and parietal endoderm, both of which have an important role in early embryogenesis. The essential roles of Gata-6 and Gata-4 on differentiation of visceral endoderm have been identified by analyses of knockout mice. Here we report that forced expression of either Gata-6 or Gata-4 in embryonic stem (ES) cells is sufficient to induce the proper differentiation program towards ExE. We believe that this is the first report of a physiological differentiation event induced by the ectopic expression of a transcription factor in ES cells.
Fujikura
Junji
J
Stem Cell Regulation Research, Area of Molecular Therapeutics, Course of Advanced Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Yamato
Eiji
E
Yonemura
Shigenobu
S
Hosoda
Kiminori
K
Masui
Shinji
S
Nakao
Kazuwa
K
Miyazaki Ji
Jun-ichi
J
Niwa
Hitoshi
H
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004707:Endoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; D050993:GATA6 Transcription Factor; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008954:Models, Biological; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; D050993:GATA6 Transcription Factor; C494759:GATA6 protein, human; C494760:Gata6 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors