Introduction
Embryonic
stem (ES) cells have been derived for several mammals from the
inner cell mass (ICM) of a preimplantation blastocyst. These
cells have the property to divide unlimitedly and remain undifferentiated
in vitro, a
process controlled by factors such as NANOG and OCT4.
In specific
culture conditions they are able to differentiate into any cell
type of the adult body, a capacity known as pluripotency. These
features make ES cells a potential alternative for organ transplantation.
It has been shown in human as well as mouse ES cells that Retinoic
Acid specifically induces neuronal cells, and dimethylsulfoxide
has been shown to induce different mesodermal cell derivatives,
including spontaneously beating structures, mimicking the beating
of the heart in the embryo.
More recently,
growth factors expressed in the developing embryo have been successfully
applied on mouse ES cells to obtain, for example, endodermal
or neuronal cells. Therefore, a parallel can be drawn
between the developing embryo and ES cell differentiation.
Research topics
Since
the differentiation of ES cells mimmicks the early development,
we are using ES cells as a developmental approach similar
to the animal cap assay in frogs.
We are studying how are the
mesoderm and neuroectoderm germ layer induced.
We aim at:
- Identifying the secreted factors responsible for the early induction
of the mesoderm and neuroblasts,
- Studying the patterning effect (antero-posterior; dorso-ventral)
of the secreted factors alone or in combination
- Analyzing the integration of multiple signals to induce specific
tissues
For that purpose, we analyse by microarrays, qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization
the induction of marker genes in ES cells treated with the different
signaling factors (Wnt, BMP, Nodal, FGF) or their secreted antagonists
(Frzb, Noggin, Cerberus, ...).
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