Differential responses to retinoic acid and endocrine disruptor compounds of subpopulations within human embryonic stem cell lines.

ABSTRACT: The heterogeneous nature of stem cells is an important issue in both research and therapeutic use in terms of directing cell lineage differentiation pathways, as well as self-renewal properties. Using flow cytometry we have identified two distinct subpopulations by size, large and small, within cultures of human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines. These two cell populations respond differentially to retinoic acid (RA) differentiation and several endocrine disruptor compounds (EDC). The large cell population responds to retinoic acid differentiation with greater than a 50% reduction in cell number and loss of Oct-4 expression, whereas the number of the small cell population does not change and Oct-4 protein expression is maintained. In addition, four estrogenic compounds altered SSEA-3 express

SUBMITTER: Annab LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3488128 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature