Identification and Characterization of Novel Clones Involved in Stem Cell Maintenance and differentiation

초록

Stem cells are unique cell populations with the ability to undergo both self-renewal and differentiation simultaneously. Although a wide of adult stem cells as well as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is identified and stem cell plasticity is recently reported, neither detailed molecular mechanisms underlying nor fate signaling genes involved in stem cell-ness and plasticity are known. To identify genes implicated in the control of pluripotency as well as characteristics of ES cells, we analyzed expression profiles of genes derived from mouse morulas, blastocysts, ESCs and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using cDNA microarray. Comparative analyses of their expression identified putative clones that expressed or not expressed specifically in specific samples. The expression pattern of several promising candidate clones was further characterized in mouse embryo tissues as well as differentiating cells in vitro from ESC and MSC using RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. Functional annotation of these clones on pluripotency is underway by examining both developmental abnormalities of Xenopus oocyte in which sense or antisense RNAs were injected and changes of gene expression profile or phenotypes in specific gene knocked-out mice ESCs. These studies may further our understanding on the nature of the stem cells and molecular mechanisms underlying many facets of mammalian development and differentiation. (Supported by the Brain Korea 21 project)