? The ability to generate multiple cell types from embryonic stem (ES) cell in culture offers unprecedented opportunities to investigate the mechanisms that regulate the earliest stages of lineage commitment that lead to the development of the primary germ layers; ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. In addition, ES cells offer a novel and potentially unlimited supply of cells for transplantation for the treatment of a broad range of diseases. For the basic biological and therapeutic potential of the ES cell system to be fully realized, it is essential to first define the mechanisms that regulate lineage induction and tissue specification in this model. The goal of this proposal is to investigate the mechanisms that regulate endoderm induction and pancreatic specification in both mouse and human ES cell differentiation cultures. The overall approach is to focus the experiments in each of the first three aims on three specific stages of development. In the first aim, we will use a mouse ES cell line with the GFP cDNA targeted to the brachyury locus and human CD4 targeted to the Foxa2 (HNF3() locus to define the signaling pathways required for the earliest stage of development, the establishment of a primitive streak-like population. Induction of a population comparable to the primitive streak represents the first step in the development of definitive endoderm. The focus of the second aim is to determine what factors regulate the development of endoderm and Pdx1+ pancreatic progenitors from the primitive streak-like cells.
The third aim will define the conditions necessary for the maturation of Pdx1+ progenitors to functional insulin secreting cells. In the fourth aim, we will translate the findings from the studies with mouse ES cells to the human system. Approaches comparable to those used for differentiation of the mouse ES cells will be used to establish conditions necessary for the development of primitive streak-like cells, endoderm, pancreatic progenitors and insulin-secreting cells from human ES cells. For these experiments we will use the following human ES cell lines: ES02, ES03, ES04, TE-03, TE-06, MI01, UC01, WA01, WA07, WA09, BG02 and BG03. The outcome of these experiments will provide new insights into the regulation of endoderm induction and pancreatic specification in the ES cell differentiation model ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
7U01DK072513-03
Application #
7435646
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDK1-GRB-3 (M3))
Program Officer
Blondel, Olivier
Project Start
2005-09-01
Project End
2009-07-31
Budget Start
2007-01-01
Budget End
2007-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$902,506
Indirect Cost
Name
University Health Network
Department
Type
DUNS #
208469486
City
Toronto
State
ON
Country
Canada
Zip Code
M5 2-M9
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Nostro, M Cristina; Sarangi, Farida; Ogawa, Shinichiro et al. (2011) Stage-specific signaling through TGF? family members and WNT regulates patterning and pancreatic specification of human pluripotent stem cells. Development 138:861-71
Gadue, Paul; Gouon-Evans, Valerie; Cheng, Xin et al. (2009) Generation of monoclonal antibodies specific for cell surface molecules expressed on early mouse endoderm. Stem Cells 27:2103-13
Gouon-Evans, Valerie; Boussemart, Lise; Gadue, Paul et al. (2006) BMP-4 is required for hepatic specification of mouse embryonic stem cell-derived definitive endoderm. Nat Biotechnol 24:1402-11