Differential expression of sympathoadrenal lineage-determining genes and phenotypic markers in cultured primary neural crest cells

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) promotes the development of primary ne ural crest cells grown in tissue culture to the sympathoadrenal (SA) lineag e. Independent studies have characterized the expression patterns of SA-lin eage genes in developing chicken embryo; however, studies using cultured pr imary neural crest cells have characterized only the expression patterns of the catecholaminergic markers, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and catecholamine s (CAs). To further explore the molecular mechanisms that control SA-cell d evelopment using the in vitro model system, it is crucial to define the exp ression patterns of both the catecholaminergic markers and the genes: regul ating SA-lineage determination. Accordingly, we defined, in the absence and presence of BMP-2, the temporal expression patterns of TH and CA, the SA l ineage-determining genes ASH-1, Phox2a, and Phox2b, the GATA-2 gene, and th e pan-neuronal SCG10 gene. Comparison of these data with the reported tempo ral and spatial patterns of expression in vivo demonstrate that the inducti ve steps of SA-lineage determination, including the specification of neurot ransmitter identity and neuronal fate, are recapitulated in the neural-cres t culture system.