The human NTERA2 neural cell line generates neurons on growth under neural stem cell conditions and exhibits characteristics of radial glial cells.
NTERA2 cells are a human neural cell line generating neurons after exposure to retinoic acid and, as such, are widely used as a model of neurogenesis. We report that these cells form spheres when grown in serum-free medium supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF). These spheres were found to express markers of radial glial cells such as, Pax6, glutamate transporter (GLAST), tenascin C, brain lipid-binding protein (BLBP), and the 3CB2 antigen. On plating on an adhesive substrate, NTERA2 spheres generate a large percentage of immature neurons (30-50%) together with a minority of cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage. Thus NTERA2 cells share properties with neural stem cells. However, at variance with the latter, we found that they produce their own bFGF implicated in an autocrine or paracrine proliferative loop and that they do not generate astrocytes after differentiation. These results provide an interesting model to study radial glial cells and their role in human neurogenesis.
Marchal-Victorion
S
S
INSERM U336, Développement, Plasticité et Vieillissement du Système Nerveux Central, USTL, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
Deleyrolle
L
L
De Weille
J
J
Saunier
M
M
Dromard
C
C
Sandillon
F
F
Privat
A
A
Hugnot
J P
JP
D000818:Animals; D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015415:Biomarkers; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008954:Models, Biological; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D015415:Biomarkers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor