NEURONAL PROGENITORS IDENTIFIED BY THEIR INABILITY TO EXPRESS CLASS-IHISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS IN RESPONSE TO INTERFERON-GAMMA

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) can induce class I major histocompatibili ty complex (MHC) antigen (H-2) expression on virtually all neuroepithe lial cells isolated from embryonic day 9 (E9) mice. However, a subpopu lation of cells become refractory to H-2 induction (H-21(-)) by E10 an d the percentage of H-2 noninducible cells increases during developmen t. Cell sorting, by flow cytometry or magnetic bead immunoselection, h as shown that H-21(-) cells give rise exclusively to neuronal cells, a nd by E12, the majority of the neuronal progenitors are found within t his population. It has also been found that 98% of the H-21(-) also ex press the neuron-associated marker, A2B5. Cells of the glial cell line age retain the ability to express class I antigens throughout developm ent. From these studies, it is clear that the neuroepithelium contains cells committed to the neuronal cell lineage as early as E10 in the m ouse. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.