Endothelin 3 promotes neural crest cell proliferation and mediates a vast increase in melanocyte number in culture.
Year: 1996
Type: article
Abstract: Mutations in the endothelin 3 (EDN3) gene severely affect the development of neural crest-derived melanocytes. In this paper, we report the action of EDN3 on neural crest cells in vitro. The presence of EDN3 leads to a large increase in the number of cells, the majority of which eventually differentiate into melanocytes that aggregate to form a reproducible pigmentation pattern. Quantitative analysis of the effect of different culture conditions revealed that EDN3 initially promotes neural crest cell proliferation. This phase of expansion, which can be prolonged for a few weeks if the cells are replaced regularly, is followed by both a decrease in cell proliferation and the onset of melanocytic differentiation. Therefore, EDN3 is a potent mitogen for early neural crest cell precursors that can give rise to melanocytes.
Authors: R Lahav, C Ziller, E Dupin, N M Le Douarin
Institution: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2038935117