Cholesterol-derived glucocorticoids control early fate specification in embryonic stem cells.

ABSTRACT: Aside from its role in cell membrane integrity, cholesterol is a key component in steroid hormone production. The vital functions of steroid hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, glucocorticoids (Gcrts) and mineralocorticoids (Mnrts) in perinatal and adult life are well understood; however, their role during early embryonic development remains largely unexplored. Here we show that siRNA-mediated perturbation of steroid hormone production during mesoderm formation has important consequences on cardiac differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC). Both Gcrts and Mnrts are capable of driving cardiac differentiation in mESC. Interestingly, the Gcrt receptor is widely expressed during gastrulation in the mouse, and is exclusively localized in the nuclei-and thus active-in visceral en

SUBMITTER: Cabral-Teixeira J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4516691 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature