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Potency (Matt Velkey, Graduate Student, Cell & Developmental Biology) These mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells express a gene called Neurogenin1, which is normally present in the developing brain. Under direction of this gene, some of the ES cells have become mature neurons and now express neuron-specific proteins (red). Other cells are not fully differentiated, but their nuclei contain proteins (turquoise) characteristic of the primitive cells of the nervous system. Using ES cells as a model system to understand the signals that control how cells decide to become neurons of the brain will be useful not only as we seek to unravel the remaining mysteries of embryonic development, but also in our efforts to develop cell replacement therapies to treat neural degenerative diseases and injury.
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