Optimality conditions for cell-fate heterogeneity that maximize the effects of growth factors in PC12 cells.

ABSTRACT: Recently, the heterogeneity that arises from stochastic fate decisions has been reported for several types of cancer-derived cell lines and several types of clonal cells grown under constant environmental conditions. However, the relation between this stochasticity and the responsiveness to extracellular stimuli remains largely unknown. Here we focused on the fate decisions of the PC12 cell line, which was derived from rat pheochromocytoma, and is a model system to study differentiation into sympathetic neurons. Whereas epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates the proliferation of populations of PC12 cells, nerve growth factor (NGF) promotes the differentiation of neurites to neuron-like cells. We found that phenotypic heterogeneity increased with time at several surrounding serum concentr

SUBMITTER: Mouri K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3828137 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature