title: Reorganization of actin filaments enhances chondrogenic differentiation of cells derived from murine embryonic stem cells.
abstract: Differentiation of embryonic stem cells is of great interest to developmental biology and regenerative medicine. This study investigated the effects of cytochalasin D (CD) on the distribution of actin filaments in mouse embryoid body (EB)-derived cells. Furthermore, CD was applied to chondrogenic medium to examine its chondrogenic effect. CD at a concentration of 1 microg/ml disrupted stress fibers in EB-derived cells. Actin filaments in treated cells reorganized into a peripheral pattern, and type II collagen was detected by immunocytochemistry. The expression of type II collagen, Sox9, and at a later time point, aggrecan was up-regulated after CD treatment. In the CD-treated cells, Oct4 and Sox2, representing undifferentiation, were down-regulated as well as Sox1, AFP, and CTN-1, representing ectoderm, endoderm, and cardiogenesis, respectively. In conclusion, CD treatment enhances chondrogenesis of EB-derived cells. Moreover, it promotes a more complete stem cell differentiation toward chondrogenesis, when cultured in chondrogenic medium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Clark Hall 102, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. zhangzj@jhu.edu
authors.forename: Zijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Messana
authors.forename: Nathaniel S H
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jennifer H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Elisseeff
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D019902:Chondrocytes; D020219:Chondrogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D015638:Cytochalasin D / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015638:Cytochalasin D