Aggregated P19 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells as a simple in vitro model to study the molecular regulations of mesoderm formation and axial elongation morphogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Because of their capacity to give rise to various types of cells in vitro, embryonic stem and embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells have been used as convenient models to study the mechanisms of cell differentiation in mammalian embryos. In this study, we explored the mouse P19 EC cell line as an effective tool to investigate the factors that may play essential roles in mesoderm formation and axial elongation morphogenesis. We first demonstrated that aggregated P19 cells not only exhibited gene expression patterns characteristic of mesoderm formation but also displayed elongation morphogenesis with a distinct anterior-posterior body axis as in the embryo. We then showed by RNA interference that these processes were controlled by various regulators of Wnt signaling pathways, namely beta-catenin, W

SUBMITTER: Marikawa Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3419260 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature