title: Dividing Olig2-expressing progenitor cells derived from ES cells.
abstract: G-Olig2 is a knock-in ES cell line with GFP inserted into the Olig2 gene so that ES cell-derived neural cells that express Olig2 also express GFP. This tool allows visualization of the subset of cells that differentiate along the Olig2-expressing pathway. By manipulating culture conditions, it is possible to induce Olig2 expression in rapidly dividing cells. These cells have many of the features of glial progenitor cells but, unlike other glial progenitors, are able to divide rapidly for at least 1 month while still expressing Olig2. Even after 1-month expansion, the cells differentiate readily into astrocyte-like and oligodendrocyte-like cells when switched to serum-containing medium. Cellular memory is the property whereby cells remain specified to a particular lineage or pathway while undergoing division. ES cell-derived neural cells show cellular memory for a glial progenitor phenotype and thus provide a new and tractable model for this basic feature of neural development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Haiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000076104:Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D001798:Blood Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000076104:Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2; C512773:Olig2 protein, mouse; C036505:oligodendrocyte O antigen, mouse