Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) induce epithelial differentiation of NT2D1 human embryonal carcinoma cells

Human embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells represent the stem cells of testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs) and are morphologically, antigenically and funct ionally related to the stem cells of early mammalian embryos. Despite the l arge capacity for differentiation displayed by TGCT stem cells, little is k nown of the factors controlling their developmental potency. We have analyz ed the differentiation elicited in NT2D1 human embryonal carcinoma (EC) cel ls by Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) and compared it with that elicited by retinoic acid (RA), We have found that while RA induced expression of n euronal, endodermal and epithelial markers in NT2D1 human EC cells, treatme nt with BMPs resulted in a predominantly epithelial phenotype, We also prov ide evidence to suggest that at least some of the effects elicited by RA in human EC cells might be mediated through RA-induced expression of BMP-7. T hus BMPs may play an important role in specifying the type of differentiati on arising from human multipotent stem cells. The manipulation of BMP signa lling in human embryonic multipotent stem cells may therefore prove a usefu l approach in attempts to generate specific differentiated cell types in vi tro, and loss of the malignant and/or transformed phenotype.