title: An optimized experimental strategy for efficient conversion of embryonic stem (ES)-derived mouse neural stem (NS) cells into a nearly homogeneous mature neuronal population.
abstract: NS cells are a homogeneous population of neural stem cells which were previously derived from embryonic stem cells as well as from the fetal and adult brain. Our previous reports have described a 21 day long neuronal differentiation protocol able to reproducibly convert adult SVZ-derived NS (aNS) cells into a population composed of 65% mature neurons and 35% glial cells. Here we have developed a different procedure specifically applicable to ES-derived NS cells in order to fully explore their neurogenic capacity. Differently from the aNS differentiation procedure, optimized neuronal output from ES-derived NS cells requires replating of the cells on appropriate substrates followed by sequential exposure to modified media. In these conditions, ES-derived NS cells differentiate into neurons with a barely appreciable quota of astrocytes and occasional oligodendrocytes. In particular, 21 days after the beginning of the treatment, 85% of the cells has differentiated into molecularly and electrophysiologically mature neurons belonging to the GABAergic lineage. The procedure, which is applicable with no considerable differences to different ES-derived NS cell lines and to NS cells at different passages, opens to the possibility of molecular and biochemical studies on close-to-uniform stem cell derived neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Center for Stem Cell Research, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spiliotopoulos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goffredo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Febo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biella
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toselli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D015222:Sodium Channels; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid