Profiling of Differentially Expressed Genes in Human Stem Cells by cDNA Microarray

Abstract

Stem cells are unique cell populations with the ability to undergo both self-renewal and differentiation simultaneously. Although a wide of adult stem cells as well as embryonic stem (ES) cells is identified and stem cell plasticity is recently reported, neither detailed molecular mechanisms underlying nor fate signaling genes involved in stemness and plasticity are known. To identify genes implicated in the control of stemness as well as characteristics of each stem cells, we analyzed expression profiles of genes in human embryonic, hematopoietic (CD34+ and CD133+), and mesenchymal stem cells with the cDNA microarray. Comparative analyses of their expression identified putative clones that are expressed or are not expressed in specific samples. The expression pattern of several candidate clones was further characterized in several cell lines as well as in differentiating stem cells by RT-PCR. Our results may open the door to fully understand the nature of the stem cells and molecular mechanisms of mammalian development and differentiation.