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Differentiating Chondrocytes from Peripheral Blood-derived Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
07:51

Differentiating Chondrocytes from Peripheral Blood-derived Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Published on: July 18, 2017

Neural precursors express multiple chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, including the lectican family

Peter Kabos1, Harry Matundan, Mandana Zandian

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Molecular and Human Genetics, Children's Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|May 19, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Neural precursors in the brain synthesize chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), which accumulate in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during hydrocephalus. These CSPGs are downregulated as neural stem cells differentiate.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are abnormally found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of neonates with preterm hydrocephalus and in hydrocephalic mice.
  • The ependyma, which separates neural precursors from CSF, is often disrupted in hydrocephalus, suggesting a potential source for CSF CSPGs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if neural precursors synthesize CSPGs found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
  • To determine the role of CSPGs in neural precursor biology and their regulation during differentiation.

Main Methods:

  • Culturing neural precursors as neurospheres and analyzing secreted CSPGs via Western blotting.
  • Detecting specific CSPG genes (aggrecan/lectican family, phosphacan, tenascin) transcribed by neurospheres.
  • Utilizing hyaluronic acid affinity chromatography to purify and detect aggrecan in the media.

Main Results:

  • Neural precursor neurospheres secrete CSPGs into their culture media, similar to those found in CSF.
  • Some secreted CSPGs are recognized by the stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1), indicating a link to neural stem cells.
  • Neurospheres transcribe CSPG genes, including aggrecan and phosphacan, with levels decreasing upon differentiation.

Conclusions:

  • Proliferating neural precursors synthesize and secrete CSPGs, including aggrecan and other lecticans.
  • CSPG synthesis by neural precursors is downregulated during differentiation.
  • These findings suggest a novel connection between CSPGs and the biology of central nervous system (CNS) precursors.

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