title: Promotion of mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation by Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632.
abstract: Rho kinase (ROCK) is one of the major downstream mediators of Rho. Rho plays crucial regulatory roles in the cellular proliferation and differentiation. Because a ROCK inhibitor, Y-27632, is known to inhibit the dissociation-induced cell death in human embryonic stem (ES) cells, we investigated the effects of this ROCK inhibitor on the differentiation of the mouse ES cells. The ROCK inhibitor promoted the differentiation of the ES cells into neurons, particularly motor and sensory neurons. The addition of both ROCK inhibitor and nerve growth factor (NGF) strongly stimulated the differentiation of the ES cells into neurons. Moreover, the ROCK inhibitor promoted the differentiation of the ES cells into muscle cells. The ES cells primarily differentiated into neurons rather than muscle cells. We found that the ROCK inhibitor may promote the neuronal differentiation of the ES cells by activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. These results suggest that the ROCK inhibitor has a significant potential to regulate the differentiation of the ES cells.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Izumino, Itakura-machi, Ora-gun, Gunma 374-0193, Japan. Electronic address: kamimaru0707@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamishibahara
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Izumino, Itakura-machi, Ora-gun, Gunma 374-0193, Japan. Electronic address: hkawaguchi@toyo.jp.
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Izumino, Itakura-machi, Ora-gun, Gunma 374-0193, Japan; Bio-Nano Electronics Research Center, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 350-8585, Japan. Electronic address: shimizu@toyo.jp.
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; C108830:Y 27632; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
keywords: Differentiation; Embryonic stem cell; Muscle cell; Neuron; ROCK inhibitor