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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
Preparation of Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast Cells Suitable for Culturing Human Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: June 21, 2012
Developmentally regulated expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor genes and splice variants by murine
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, England.
Abstract:
The expression of the four fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGF-R) genes was examined in murine embryonic stem (ES) cells, embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, and their differentiated derivatives. FGF-R1 and FGF-R4 were found to be expressed constitutively in all samples examined. The expression of FGF-R2 and FGF-R3 was, however found to increase significantly upon differentiation of both ES and EC cells. Examination of splice variants of the third immunoglobulin domain (IgIII) of the extracellular region of the FGF-R2 revealed that whilst IgIIIc transcripts were expressed upon ES cell differentiation, IgIIIb transcripts (which confer specificity for the ligand FGF-7) were expressed in both ES cells and their differentiated progeny. FGF-R3 transcripts were also expressed in ES cells, but variant FGF-R3 transcripts containing the IgIIIb region were expressed upon differentiation. The findings suggest that the repertoire of FGF-R expression in embryonic cell types is developmentally regulated at the level of both gene expression, and alternative splicing and different members of the FGF-R family can exhibit distinct patterns of both gene and splice variant expression.
Insights
Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGF-R) gene expression and splice variants are developmentally regulated in embryonic stem cells. This regulation impacts FGF-R family member expression patterns during differentiation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Embryonic stem cells (ES) and embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells are crucial models for studying early development.
- Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGF-Rs) play vital roles in cell signaling and differentiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression patterns of FGF-R genes and their splice variants in murine ES and EC cells during differentiation.
- To understand the developmental regulation of FGF-R expression at both gene and alternative splicing levels.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of FGF-R gene expression in ES, EC, and differentiated cells.
- Examination of alternative splicing variants, specifically for FGF-R2 and FGF-R3, focusing on immunoglobulin domain III (IgIII) regions.
- Detection of IgIIIb and IgIIIc transcripts.
Main Results:
- FGF-R1 and FGF-R4 were constitutively expressed in all cell types.
- FGF-R2 and FGF-R3 expression significantly increased upon differentiation of ES and EC cells.
- Specific splice variants, including IgIIIb and IgIIIc, showed differential expression patterns during differentiation, indicating regulated alternative splicing.
Conclusions:
- FGF-R expression in embryonic cells is developmentally controlled through both gene expression and alternative splicing.
- Different FGF-R family members exhibit distinct gene and splice variant expression profiles during cellular differentiation.
