LIPIDS AS SIGNALS IN STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION

MONTANER ANELEY; GIRARDINI J.E.; COSTA, MARCOS; BANCHIO CLAUDIA

Rosario

Congreso; L Reunión Anual Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; 2014

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are a cell type able to divide asymmetrically: one daughter cell maintains the same characteristics, while the other differentiates into a neuron or glia cell. In an adult mammal, exist niches of NSCs which are activated after cellular damages. However, as there activation is not complete, the identification of molecules that can act as signal and promote this process is relevant. We study if the stem cell differentiation could be induced by phospholipids. NSCs were incubated with lipids for three days. Cell identity was analyzed by immunofluorescence with β-III tubulin (neurons) and GFAP (glia). We observed that Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) have a specific effect on neural differentiation; while Phosphatidyletanholamine (PE) has a specific effect on glia stem cell differentiation. We also analyzed the effect of the inhibition of the Kennedy pathway for PC biosynthesis. The results suggest that although the neuronal differentiation program is turned on, cells are unable to generate and elongate neurites.In order to study how PC biosynthesis affects stem cell differentiation, NSCs cultures were followed by time-lapse microscopy. Single cells were followed for several days to analyze the fates of individual cells and their progeny. In this way, we could study alterations in proliferation and the mode of cell division.