title: Ultrastructural characteristics of three undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cell lines and their differentiated three-dimensional derivatives: a comparative study.
abstract: The fine structures of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) grown as colonies and differentiated in three-dimensional (3D) culture as embryoid bodies (EBs) were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. Undifferentiated mESCs expressed markers that proved their pluripotency. Differentiated EBs expressed different differentiation marker proteins from the three germ layers. The ultrastructure of mESCs revealed the presence of microvilli on the cell surfaces, large and deep infolded nuclei, low cytoplasm-to-nuclear ratios, frequent lipid droplets, nonprominent Golgi apparatus, and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. In addition, we found prominent juvenile mitochondria and free ribosomes-rich cytoplasm in mESCs. Ultrastructure of the differentiated mESCs as EBs showed different cell arrangements, which indicate the different stages of EB development and differentiation. The morphologies of BALB/c and 129 W9.5 EBs were very similar at day 4, whereas C57BL/6 EBs were distinct from the others at day 4. This finding suggested that differentiation of EBs from different cell lines occurs in the same pattern but not at the same rate. Conversely, the ultrastructure results of BALB/c and 129 W9.5 ESCs revealed differentiating features, such as the dilated profile of a rough endoplasmic reticulum. In addition, we found low expression levels of undifferentiated markers on the outer cells of BALB/c and 129 W9.5 mESC colonies, which suggests a faster differentiation potential.
authors.affiliation: 1 Biology Department, College of Science, King Abdulaziz University , Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia .
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alharbi
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elsafadi
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mobarak
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alrwili
authors.forename: Radhakrishnan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vishnubalaji
authors.forename: Muthurangan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manikandan
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Al-Qudsi
authors.forename: Saleh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Nabaheen
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aldahmash
authors.forename: Amer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013045:Species Specificity