DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHOADRENAL LINEAGE–DETERMINING GENES AND PHENOTYPIC MARKERS IN CULTURED PRIMARY NEURAL CREST CELLS

• Published in: In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 185 - 192
• Main Authors: BILODEAU, MATTHEW L, BOULINEAU, THERESA, GREULICH, JOHN D. M, HULLINGER, RONALD L, ANDRISANI, OURANIA M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Society for In Vitro Biology 01-03-2001
• Subjects: adhesion factors; Adrenal Glands - cytology; Animals; Biomarkers - analysis; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins - pharmacology; Catecholamines - genetics; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cells, Cultured; Chick Embryo; Coturnix; Cultured cells; cytokines; CYTOKINES/GROWTH FACTORS/ADHESION FACTORS; Developmental biology; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Embryos; GATA2 Transcription Factor; Gene Expression - drug effects; Gene induction; Genes; growth factors; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; Humans; Inductive reasoning; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neural crest; Neural Crest - cytology; Neurons; Neurons - cytology; Phenotype; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Stem cells; Sympathetic Nervous System - cytology; Time Factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transforming Growth Factor beta; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase - genetics
• ISSN: 1071-2690; 1543-706X; 1543-706X
• DOI: 10.1290/1071-2690(2001)037<0185:DEOSLD>2.0.CO;2

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) promotes the development of primary neural crest cells grown in tissue culture to the sympathoadrenal (SA) lineage. Independent studies have characterized the expression patterns of SA-lineage genes in developing chicken embryo; however, studies using cultured primary neural crest cells have characterized only the expression patterns of the catecholaminergic markers, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and catecholamines (CAs). To further explore the molecular mechanisms that control SA-cell development using the in vitro model system, it is crucial to define the expression patterns of both the catecholaminergic markers and the genes regulating SA-lineage determination. Accordingly, we defined, in the absence and presence of BMP-2, the temporal expression patterns of TH and CA, the SA lineage–determining genes ASH-1, Phox2a, and Phox2b, the GATA-2 gene, and the pan-neuronal SCG10 gene. Comparison of these data with the reported temporal and spatial patterns of expression in vivo demonstrate that the inductive steps of SA-lineage determination, including the specification of neurotransmitter identity and neuronal fate, are recapitulated in the neural-crest culture system.