cAMP is involved in the differentiation of human teratocarcinoma cells

The generation of fully differentiated post-mitotic human neuronal cells fr om stem cells (human teratocarcinoma (hNT2) cells) might enable the develop ment of a co-culture model of human neurons with human Schwann cells (SCs). This co-culture model is an important tool to study formation of myelin sh eaths. However, the thin process of the post-mitotic human neuronal cells f ormed under known culture conditions do not provide a good substrate for hu man SCs to start myelination. We optimized the culture conditions of these cells to obtain axons with a larger diameter. Western blotting and immunofl uorescence studies were performed to confirm the neuronal status of the cel ls and diameter of the processes. In this study, we show that addition of C AMP-inducing factors to hNT2 cells resulted in rapid morphological changes including the development of processes with a larger diameter. (C) 2001 Els evier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.