title: Imidazole-based small molecules that promote neurogenesis in pluripotent cells.
abstract: Reported herein are two imidazole-based small molecules, termed neurodazine (Nz) and neurodazole (Nzl), which induce neuronal differentiation of pluripotent P19 cells. Their ability to induce neurogenesis of P19 cells is comparable to that of retinoic acid. However, Nz and Nzl were found to be more selective neurogenesis inducers than retinoic acid owing to their unique ability to suppress astrocyte differentiation of P19 cells. Our results also show that Nz and Nzl promote production of physiologically active neurons because P19-cell-derived neurons induced by these substances have functional glutamate responsiveness. The present study suggests that Nz and Nzl could serve as important chemical tools to induce formation of specific populations of neuronal cell types from pluripotent cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea).
authors.forename: Gun-Hee
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Debasish
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Halder
authors.forename: Jinhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Wan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Namkung
authors.forename: Injae
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries; C029899:imidazole
keywords: combinatorial chemistry; fluorescence; heterocycles; high-throughput screening; neurochemistry