Selective migration of neuralized embryonic stem cells to stem cell factor and media conditioned by glioma cell lines.
BACKGROUND
Pluripotent mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be induced in vitro to become neural progenitors. Upon transplantation, neural progenitors migrate toward areas of damage and inflammation in the CNS. We tested whether undifferentiated and neuralized mouse ES cells migrate toward media conditioned by glioma cell lines (C6, U87 & N1321) or Stem Cell Factor (SCF).


RESULTS
Cell migration assays revealed selective migration by neuralized ES cells to conditioned media as well as to synthetic SCF. Migration of undifferentiated ES cells was extensive, but not significantly different from that of controls (Unconditioned Medium). RT-PCR analysis revealed that all the three tumor cell lines tested synthesized SCF and that both undifferentiated and neuralized ES cells expressed c-kit, the receptor for SCF.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that undifferentiated ES cells are highly mobile and that neural progenitors derived from ES cells are selectively attracted toward factors produced by gliomas. Given that the glioma cell lines synthesize SCF, SCF may be one of several factors that contribute to the selective migration observed.
Serfozo
Peter
P
Division of Biological Sciences, 114 Lefevre Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia MO 65211.
Schlarman
Maggie S
MS
Division of Biological Sciences, 114 Lefevre Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia MO 65211.
Pierret
Chris
C
Division of Biological Sciences, 114 Lefevre Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia MO 65211.
Maria
Bernard L
BL
Charles P. Darby Children's Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Ave., Charleston, SC 29425.
Kirk
Mark D
MD
Division of Biological Sciences, 114 Lefevre Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia MO 65211.