|
|
|
||||
| Home Help Feedback Subscriptions Archive Search Table of Contents | |||||
doi: 10.1242/10.1242/jcs.00171
Research Article |
1 Department of Medical Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lübeck,
D-23538 Lübeck, Germany
2 In Vitro Differentiation Group, IPK Gatersleben, D-06466 Gatersleben,
Germany
* Author for correspondence (e-mail: rohwedel{at}molbio.mu-luebeck.de)
Accepted 11 September 2002
Evidence exists that cells of mesenchymal origin show a differentiation plasticity that depends on their differentiation state. We used in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells through embryoid bodies as a model to analyze chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation because embryonic stem cells recapitulate early embryonic developmental phases during in vitro differentiation. Here, we show that embryonic stem cells differentiate into chondrocytes, which progressively develop into hypertrophic and calcifying cells. At a terminal differentiation stage, cells expressing an osteoblast-like phenotype appeared either by transdifferentiation from hypertrophic chondrocytes or directly from osteoblast precursor cells. Chondrocytes isolated from embryoid bodies initially dedifferentiated in culture but later re-expressed characteristics of mature chondrocytes. The process of redifferentiation was completely inhibited by transforming growth factor ß3. In clonal cultures of chondrocytes isolated from embryoid bodies, additional mesenchymal cell types expressing adipogenic properties were observed, which suggests that the subcultured chondrocytes indeed exhibit a certain differentiation plasticity. The clonal analysis confirmed that the chondrogenic cells change their developmental fate at least into the adipogenic lineage. In conclusion, we show that chondrocytic cells are able to transdifferentiate into other mesenchymal cells such as osteogenic and adipogenic cell types. These findings further strengthen the view that standardized selection strategies will be necessary to obtain defined cell populations for therapeutic applications.
Key words: Mouse embryonic stem cells, Chondrogenesis, Osteogenesis, Mesenchymal cells, Dedifferentiation, Redifferentiation
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
N. S. Hwang, S. Varghese, H. J. Lee, Z. Zhang, Z. Ye, J. Bae, L. Cheng, and J. Elisseeff In vivo commitment and functional tissue regeneration using human embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal cells PNAS, December 30, 2008; 105(52): 20641 - 20646. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Wensman, V. Flama, G. Pejler, and E. Hellmen Plasticity of Cloned Canine Mammary Spindle Cell Tumor, Osteosarcoma and Carcinoma Cells Vet. Pathol., November 1, 2008; 45(6): 803 - 815. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. J. Koay, G. M. B. Hoben, and K. A. Athanasiou Tissue Engineering with Chondrogenically Differentiated Human Embryonic Stem Cells Stem Cells, September 1, 2007; 25(9): 2183 - 2190. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. S. Toh, Z. Yang, H. Liu, B. C. Heng, E. H. Lee, and T. Cao Effects of Culture Conditions and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 on Extent of Chondrogenesis from Human Embryonic Stem Cells Stem Cells, April 1, 2007; 25(4): 950 - 960. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. S. Hwang, M. S. Kim, S. Sampattavanich, J. H. Baek, Z. Zhang, and J. Elisseeff Effects of Three-Dimensional Culture and Growth Factors on the Chondrogenic Differentiation of Murine Embryonic Stem Cells Stem Cells, February 1, 2006; 24(2): 284 - 291. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. C. Brodie and H. D. Humes Stem Cell Approaches for the Treatment of Renal Failure Pharmacol. Rev., September 1, 2005; 57(3): 299 - 313. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. S. Kim, N. S. Hwang, J. Lee, T.-K. Kim, K. Leong, M. J. Shamblott, J. Gearhart, and J. Elisseeff Musculoskeletal Differentiation of Cells Derived from Human Embryonic Germ Cells Stem Cells, January 1, 2005; 23(1): 113 - 123. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. C. Heng, T. Cao, and E. H. Lee Directing Stem Cell Differentiation into the Chondrogenic Lineage In Vitro Stem Cells, December 1, 2004; 22(7): 1152 - 1167. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||