Maintenance of pluripotency-like signature in the entire ectoderm leads to neural crest stem cell potential

The ability of the pluripotent epiblast to contribute progeny to all three germ layers is thought to be lost after gastrulation. The later-forming neural crest (NC) rises from ectoderm and it remains poorly understood how its exceptionally high stem-cell potential to generate mesodermal- and endodermal-like derivatives is obtained. Here, we monitor transcriptional changes from gastrulation to neurulation using single-cell-Multiplex-Spatial-Transcriptomics (scMST) complemented with RNA-sequencing. We show maintenance of pluripotency-like signature (Nanog, Oct4/PouV, Klf4-positive) in undecided pan-ectodermal stem-cells spanning the entire ectoderm late during neurulation with ectodermal patterning completed only at the end of neurulation when the pluripotency-like signature becomes restricted to NC, challenging our understanding of gastrulation. Furthermore, broad ectodermal pluripotency-like signature is found at multiple axial levels unrelated to the NC lineage the cells later commit to, suggesting a general role in stemness enhancement and proposing a mechanism by which the NC acquires its ability to form derivatives beyond "ectodermal-capacity" in chick and mouse embryos.

Maintenance of pluripotency in the entire ectoderm enables neural crest formation

The ability of the pluripotent epiblast to contribute progeny to all three germ layers is thought to be lost after gastrulation. The later-forming neural crest (NC) rises from ectoderm and it remains poorly understood how its exceptionally high stem-cell potential to generate mesodermal- and endodermal-like cells is obtained. We monitored transcriptional changes from gastrulation to neurulation using single-cell-Multiplex-Spatial-Transcriptomics (scMST) complemented with RNA-sequencing. Unexpectedly, we find maintenance of undecided Nanog/Oct4-PouV/Klf4-positive pluripotent-like pan-ectodermal stem-cells spanning the entire ectoderm late in the neurulation process with ectodermal patterning completed only at the end of neurulation when pluripotency becomes restricted to NC, challenging our understanding of gastrulation. Furthermore, broad ectodermal pluripotency is found at all axial levels unrelated to the NC lineage the cells later commit to, suggesting a general role in stemness enhancement and proposing a mechanism by which the NC acquires its ability to form derivatives beyond "ectodermal-capacity" in chick and mouse embryos.

Mechanical phenotyping of mouse embryonic stem cells: increase in stiffness with differentiation

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has emerged as a promising tool to characterize the mechanical properties of biological materials and cells. In our studies, undifferentiated and early differentiating mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) were assessed individually using an AFM system to determine if we could detect changes in their mechanical properties by surface probing. Probes with pyramidal and spherical tips were assessed, as were different analytical models for evaluating the data. The combination of AFM probing with a spherical tip and analysis using the Hertz model provided the best fit to the experimental data obtained and thus provided the best approximation of the elastic modulus. Our results showed that after only 6 days of differentiation, individual cell stiffness increased significantly with early differentiating mESCs having an elastic modulus two- to threefold higher than undifferentiated mESCs, regardless of cell line (R1 or D3 mESCs) or treatment. Single-touch (indentation) probing of individual cells is minimally invasive compared to other techniques. Therefore, this method of mechanical phenotyping should prove to be a valuable tool in the development of improved methods of identification and targeted cellular differentiation of embryonic, adult, and induced-pluripotent stem cells for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

Developmental expression of pluripotency determining factors in caprine embryos: Novel pattern of NANOG protein localization in the nucleolus

Transcription factors, POU5F1/OCT4 and NANOG, whose expression is restricted to the inner cell mass (ICM) in mouse and human blastocysts, are used to characterize undifferentiated embryonic stem cells (ESC) in vitro. However, POU5F1 may not be a useful marker in domestic animals due to its expression in both ICM and trophectoderm (TE), while NANOG mRNA and protein expression have only been described fully in mice. In an effort to identify ESC markers for domestic animals, expression patterns of NANOG, POU5F1, and the cell surface markers (SSEA1, SSEA4, TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81) were examined in preimplantation goat embryos, a species that has proven to be a superior choice for the production of transgenic proteins in milk (biopharming). Our results indicate that while goat embryos express POU5F1, SSEA1, and SSEA4 proteins, their expression is not strictly restricted to the ICM. In a unique staining pattern, NANOG protein was localized to the nucleoplasm and nucleoli in ICM cells, but was localized strictly to nucleoli in TE. This pattern may reflect down-regulation of protein by sequestration/degradation utilizing a nucleolar mechanism known to operate in stem cells. Furthermore, NANOG mRNA in TE was also significantly down-regulated as compared with that in ICM. Taken together, this novel expression pattern of NANOG in goat preimplantation embryos suggests that NANOG could serve as marker of pluripotency in goats and may be useful in derivation and characterization of caprine ESC. This study is the first to characterize both NANOG mRNA and protein expression in any species other than the mouse.

Central melanocortin receptors mediate changes in food intake in the rhesus macaque

In rodents, stimulation of melanocortin-3 and -4 receptor subtypes (MC3-R and MC4-R) causes a reduction in food intake, whereas antagonism of MC3-R and MC4-R increases food intake. This report describes the effects of the stable alphaMSH analog, NDP-MSH ([Nle(4), D-Phe(7)]alphaMSH), and the endogenous alphaMSH receptor antagonist, agouti-related protein, on feeding behavior in adult male rhesus macaques. Infusion of NDP-MSH into the lateral cerebral ventricle dose dependently suppressed intake of a normally scheduled meal without affecting nonfeeding behaviors. Conversely, infusion of agouti-related protein stimulated food intake during the scheduled afternoon meal. In addition to these physiological experiments, the effect of fasting on hypothalamic POMC gene expression was assessed by in situ hybridization. Missing a single meal or fasting for 48 h caused a similar reduction in POMC gene expression in the arcuate nucleus. These results demonstrate that in the primate, central melanocortin receptors can acutely regulate food intake and suggest that the central melanocortinergic system is a physiological regulator of energy balance in primate species.