title: A flexible method to study neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.
abstract: Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) represent an invaluable tool for the study of early mammalian development, for regenerative medicine and for drug discovery. To fulfill these promises, efficient and easy protocols to differentiate ESCs have to be developed. Most of these protocols results in low efficiency of neural induction and/or requires extended in vitro culture. Here we describe in detail an easy and efficient method to differentiate ESCs into neurons, that can be used to identify molecules required for proper neuronal differentiation. Moreover, we present a modification of this method that allows to clearly evaluate the ability of some molecules to favor neuron formation in vitro. These methods can represent an efficient platform for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying early events of neural induction and differentiation in ESCs, as well as for testing molecule efficacy in the pharmaceutical testing.
authors.affiliation: CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore 482, 80145 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tarantino
authors.forename: Gaetana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paolella
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D017931:DNA Primers; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers