STEMEZ(TM) hNP1 Human Neural Progenitors and hN2 Primary Neurons Differentiation and Expression

I have received a growing number of requests regarding differentiation and expression patterns of our STEMEZ^TM cells. This is intended help you gain a clearer understanding. The focus of this document is G-protein Coupled Receptor Expression Patterns. This information was presented by Dr. Steve Stice and his team and the 2008 Neuroscience Conference.


INTRODUCTION

Human embryonic stem cells and their progeny can provide a novel Distribution of detectable transcripts for three cell populations tissue source for understanding developmental pathways, pharmaceutical screening and tissue replacement therapies. G-protein coupled receptors(GPCRs) comprise the largest cell-surface receptor superfamily and are the largest class of drug targets. The study of GPCR signaling in hES cells allows signaling mechanisms to be studied in endogenously expressed receptors in non-transformed cells. We characterized GPCR transcript expression in three cellular populations at different developmental stages: WAO9 human embryonic stem cells, Wa09 derived STEMEZ hNP1 and differentiated hN2 cells maintained 1 week in culture.

Goal: To characterize GPCR transcript expression in human hES cell derived neural tissue

CONCLUSIONS
• hES cells displayed the widest array of GPCR transcripts, while neural progenitors displayed the most restricted population.
• The Frizzled (FZD) family of receptors were among the most abundantly expressed transcripts across all populations.
• Neural progentitors up-regulated GPCR transcripts important to brain angiogenesis, cell proliferation, neurogenesis and cell adhesion.
• Further differentiated hN2 cells displayed up-regulation of a wider population of transcripts including GPCRs involved with neurotransmission.
• Functional assays demonstrated responses to sphingosine-1-phosphate in both hNP1 and hN2 populations of cells.
• hES cells and their derived tissue provide a unique model to study endogenous GPCR signaling in non-transformed cells for drug screening applications and to further our understanding of GPCRs role in developmental pathways.

G-protein Coupled Receptor Expression Patterns Are Altered as Human Embryonic Stem Details(pdf - 367Kb). From Poster Presented at Neuroscience 2008 by Dr. Steve Stice et al.