Differences in neurogenic potential in floor plate cells along an anteroposterior location: midbrain dopaminergic neurons originate from mesencephalic floor plate cells.
Directed differentiation and purification of mesencephalic dopaminergic (mesDA) neurons from stem cells are crucial issues for realizing safe and efficient cell transplantation therapies for Parkinson's disease. Although recent studies have identified the factors that regulate mesDA neuron development, the mechanisms underlying mesDA neuron specification are not fully understood. Recently, it has been suggested that mesencephalic floor plate (FP) cells acquire neural progenitor characteristics to generate mesDA neurons. Here, we directly examined this in a fate mapping experiment using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) with an FP cell-specific surface marker, and demonstrate that mesencephalic FP cells have neurogenic activity and generate mesDA neurons in vitro. By contrast, sorted caudal FP cells have no neurogenic potential, as previously thought. Analysis of dreher mutant mice carrying a mutation in the Lmx1a locus and transgenic mice ectopically expressing Otx2 in caudal FP cells demonstrated that Otx2 determines anterior identity that confers neurogenic activity to FP cells and specifies a mesDA fate, at least in part through the induction of Lmx1a. We further show that FACS can isolate mesDA progenitors, a suitable transplantation material, from embryonic stem cell-derived neural cells. Our data provide insights into the mechanisms of specification and generation of mesDA neurons, and illustrate a useful cell replacement approach for Parkinson's disease.
KAN Research Institute Inc., KobeMI R&D Center 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan. y-ono@kan.eisai.co.jp
Yuichi
Y
Ono
Tomoya
T
Nakatani
Yoshimasa
Y
Sakamoto
Eri
E
Mizuhara
Yasuko
Y
Minaki
Minoru
M
Kumai
Akiko
A
Hamaguchi
Miyuki
M
Nishimura
Yoko
Y
Inoue
Hideki
H
Hayashi
Jun
J
Takahashi
Toshio
T
Imai
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000196:embryology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051857:Otx Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D014157:Transcription Factors
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; C489692:Lmx1a protein, mouse; D051857:Otx Transcription Factors; C497660:Otx2 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004298:Dopamine