Co-culture with microglia promotes neural stem cells differentiation into astrocytes.
- Author:
Feng GU
1
;
Juan WANG
;
Li FU
;
Yong-Jie MA
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Animals; Astrocytes; cytology; metabolism; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors; genetics; Blotting, Western; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; genetics; Cell Differentiation; genetics; physiology; Cells, Cultured; Coculture Techniques; methods; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; genetics; Inhibitor of Differentiation Protein 1; genetics; Inhibitor of Differentiation Protein 2; genetics; Microglia; cytology; metabolism; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Neural Stem Cells; cytology; metabolism; Rats; Repressor Proteins; genetics; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- From: Chinese Medical Journal 2011;124(20):3394-3398
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUNDNeural stem cells (NSCs) are a self-renewing and multipotent population of the central nervous system (CNS), which are active during development and maintain homeostasis and tissue integrity throughout life. Microglias are an immune cell population resident in the CNS, which have crucial physiological functions in the developing and adult CNS. This study aimed to investigate that whether microglia co-cultured with NSCs could promote astrogliogenesis from NSCs.
METHODSMicroglia and NSCs were co-cultured in 24-well insert plates. NSCs were plated in the bottom of the well and microglia in the insert. Fluorescent staining, Western blotting and RT-PCR were used to determine the effect of microglia on NSCs differentiation.
RESULTSCo-culture of microglia and NSCs promoted astrogliogenesis from NSCs. Several key genes, such as Notch 1, Notch 2, Notch 3, Hes 5, and NRSF were downregulated, while the critical genes Id1 and Id2 were upregulated. BMP2 and FGF2 were upregulated.
CONCLUSIONMicroglias act as a regulator of NSCs astrogliogenesis.
