Int. J. Dev. Biol. 64: 433 - 443 (2020)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.200078gc

Vol 64, Issue 7-8-9

PuraMatrix allows differentiation of a broad repertoire of neural and mesenchymal phenotypes from trunk neural crest

Technical Article | Published: 7 October 2020

Clarissa R. Taufer^1,2, Monica A. Rodrigues-Da-Silva² and Giordano W. Calloni*^,2

¹Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento and ²Laboratório de Plasticidade e Diferenciação de Células da Crista Neural, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário - Trindade, Florianópolis, S.C., Brazil

Abstract

The neural crest (NC) is a transitory embryonic structure of vertebrates that gives rise to an astonishing variety of derivatives, encompassing both neural and mesenchymal cell types. Neural crest cells (NCCs) are an excellent model to study how environmental factors modulate features such as cell multipotentiality and differentiation. Tests with multifunctional substrates that allow NCCs to express their full potential, while promoting cell subcloning, are needed to advance knowledge about NCC self-renewal and to foster future biotechnological approaches. Here we show that a self-assembled peptide named PuraMatrix^TM is an excellent substrate that allows the differentiation of NCCs based on the identification of seven different cell types. Depending on the PuraMatrix^TM concentration employed, different frequencies and quantities of a given cell type were obtained. It is noteworthy that an enormous quantity and diversity of mesenchymal phenotypes, such as chondrocytes, could be observed. The quantity of adipocytes and osteocytes also increased with the use of mesenchymal differentiation factors (MDF), but PuraMatrix^TM alone can support the appearance of these mesenchymal cell types. PuraMatrix^TM will promote advances in studies related to multipotentiality, self-renewal and control of NCC differentiation, since it is an extremely simple and versatile material which can be employed for both in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Keywords

PuraMatrix, RADA16, trunk neural crest, neural, mesenchymal, skeletogenic