title: Neural connections between embryonic stem cell-derived neurons and vestibular hair cells in vitro.
abstract: This study aimed to examine the potential of embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived neural progenitors for restoration of the neural network in the peripheral vestibular system. Mouse ESC-derived neural progenitors were co-cultured with explants of vestibular sensory epithelia from neonatal mice. Histological analyses demonstrated that ESC-derived neurons substantially elongated their neurites towards vestibular hair cells, and attached to hair cells at the regions corresponding to the location of nerve endings in normal vestibular epithelia. Immunoreactivity for synaptophysin, a marker for synaptic vesicles, was present only in the cytoplasm of hair cells in sensory epithelia cultured alone, while the nerve endings of ESC-derived neurons attached to hair cells exhibited intense immunoreactivity for synaptophysin and some hair cells were moderately reactive in co-cultured specimens. The pattern of synaptophysin expression in co-cultured specimens was very similar to that observed in developing sensory epithelia, in which synaptic connections between hair cells and nerve endings are actively formed. These findings indicate that ESC-derived neurons have the potential to restore neural connections in the peripheral vestibular system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kawaharacho 54, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507 Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Tae-Soo
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takebayashi
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Tatsunori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Juichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004398:Dyneins / Q000378:metabolism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018069:Hair Cells, Vestibular / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D000081412:Myosin VIIa; D009218:Myosins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C000631456:Myo7a protein, mouse; D000081412:Myosin VIIa; C409466:NR1 NMDA receptor; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016708:Synaptophysin; D014404:Tubulin; C462941:beta3 tubulin, mouse; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D009218:Myosins; D004398:Dyneins