title: Expression of Neurogenin 1 in mouse embryonic stem cells directs the differentiation of neuronal precursors and identifies unique patterns of down-stream gene expression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Delineating the cascades of growth and transcription factor expression that shape the developing nervous system will improve our understanding of its molecular histogenesis and suggest strategies for cell replacement therapies. In the current investigation, we examined the ability of the proneural gene, Neurogenin1 (Neurog1; also Ngn1, Neurod3), to drive differentiation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transient expression of Neurog1 in ESC was sufficient to initiate neuronal differentiation, and produced neuronal subtypes reflecting its expression pattern in vivo. To begin to address the molecular mechanisms involved, we used microarray analysis to identify potential down-stream targets of Neurog1 expressed at sequential stages of neuronal differentiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESC expressing Neurogenin1 begin to withdraw from cycle and form precursors that differentiate exclusively into neurons. This work identifies unique patterns of gene expression following expression of Neurog1, including genes and signaling pathways involved in process outgrowth and cell migration, regional differentiation of the nervous system, and cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: J Matthew
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Velkey
authors.forename: K Sue
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: O'Shea
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C486336:Neurog1 protein, mouse