title: Directed differentiation of pluripotent cells to neural lineages: homogeneous formation and differentiation of a neurectoderm population.
abstract: During embryogenesis the central and peripheral nervous systems arise from a neural precursor population, neurectoderm, formed during gastrulation. We demonstrate the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells to neurectoderm in culture, in a manner which recapitulates embryogenesis, with the sequential and homogeneous formation of primitive ectoderm, neural plate and neural tube. Formation of neurectoderm occurs in the absence of extraembryonic endoderm or mesoderm and results in a stratified epithelium of cells with morphology, gene expression and differentiation potential consistent with positionally unspecified neural tube. Differentiation of this population to homogeneous populations of neural crest or glia was also achieved. Neurectoderm formation in culture allows elucidation of signals involved in neural specification and generation of implantable cell populations for therapeutic use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rathjen
authors.forename: Bryan P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nesci
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Rathjen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000502:physiology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction