A multipotent EGF-responsive striatal embryonic progenitor cell produces neurons and astrocytes

The mitogenic actions of epidermal growth factor (EGF) were examined in low-density, dissociated cultures of embryonic day 14 mouse striatal primordia, under serum-free defined conditions. EGF induced the proliferation of single progenitor cells that began to divide between 5 and 7 d in vitro, and a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of neuroscience 1992-11, Vol.12 (11), p.4565-4574
Main Authors: Reynolds, BA, Tetzlaff, W, Weiss, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Astrocytes - cytology
Biological and medical sciences
Cell Division - drug effects
Corpus Striatum - cytology
Corpus Striatum - embryology
Embryo, Mammalian - cytology
Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology
Epidermal Growth Factor - genetics
Epidermal Growth Factor - pharmacology
Experimental organogenesis
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Immunohistochemistry
Mice
Neurons - cytology
Organogenesis. Physiological fonctions
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor - genetics
RNA, Messenger - metabolism
Stem Cells - cytology
Transcription, Genetic
Transforming Growth Factor alpha - genetics
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Summary:The mitogenic actions of epidermal growth factor (EGF) were examined in low-density, dissociated cultures of embryonic day 14 mouse striatal primordia, under serum-free defined conditions. EGF induced the proliferation of single progenitor cells that began to divide between 5 and 7 d in vitro, and after 13 d in vitro had formed a cluster of undifferentiated cells that expressed nestin, an intermediate filament present in neuroepithelial stem cells. In the continued presence of EGF, cells migrated from the proliferating core and differentiated into neurons and astrocytes. The actions of EGF were mimicked by the homolog transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), but not by NGF, basic fibroblast growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, or TGF beta. In EGF-generated cultures, cells with neuronal morphology contained immunoreactivity for GABA, substance P, and methionine-enkephalin, three neurotransmitters of the adult striatum. Amplification of embryonic day 14 striatal mRNA by using reverse transcription/PCR revealed mRNAs for EGF, TGF alpha, and the EGF receptor. These findings suggest that EGF and/or TGF alpha may act on a multipotent progenitor cell in the striatum to generate both neurons and astrocytes.
ISSN:0270-6474
1529-2401
DOI:10.1523/jneurosci.12-11-04565.1992