Terminal Differentiation Markers

During cellular differentiation, a stem cell, which has the potential to become multiple cell types, will differentiate into a progenitor cell, next an immature cell, ending in a unipotent terminally differentiated cell. The terminally differentiated cell, which has a specific function within the organism, will proliferate as only one cell type. These cells express genes that are specific to their cell type and function. The complex process of successfully differentiating embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into a specific cell type requires verification by testing positive cellular markers. However, further examination of other cell type markers serves as an equally important negative control confirming the specificity of the differentiation program. For example, iPSCs differentiated into arterial endothelial cells should express arterial markers but not venous markers. The expression of cardiomyocyte markers confirms successful differentiation into that cell type. The absence of markers for cells from other major organs (such as lung, pancreas, and brain) insures the lack of other non-relevant cell types.

QIAGEN provides a broad range of assay technologies for terminal differentiation research that enables analysis of gene expression and regulation, epigenetic modification, genotyping, and signal transduction pathway activation. Solutions optimized for terminal differentiation studies include PCR array, miRNA, siRNA, mutation analysis, pathway reporter, chromatin IP, DNA methylation, and protein expression products.