# REGULATION OF MULTIPOTENT STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · 1994 · $154,109

## Abstract

How a pluripotent cell becomes committed to a specific differentiation
pathway is a central question in developmental biology.  The overall
objective is to understand such commitment decisions by studying the
interstitial lineages of hydra.  The multipotent stem cell of this system
gives rise to four classes of differentiation products: neurons,
nematocytes, secretory cells and gametes.  In previous segments of this
work an extensive body of information has been gained about the stem cells
and the four classes of products at the cellular level.  In this proposed
segment, the focus will be on the commitment decisions that occur during
neuron differentiation.  Two are known.  One is the restriction of the
multipotent stem cell to neuron differentiation, and the other is a
decision late in the pathway as to neuron phenotype.

The aims here are three-fold.  [1] To complete an understanding of the
neuron lineage in order to determine if there are any more stages where a
decision as to cell type is made.  This will be done by marking individual
interstitial cells and determining the differentiated cells they produce.
[2] Neuron phenotype determination is position-dependent in hydra.  For one
subset of neurons this effect is mediated by the phosphatidylinositol
pathway.  The aim is to identify the signal that is responsible for the
position-dependent effect, and determine if it is acting directly or
indirectly on the neurons.  Grafting experiments involving tissue with a
variety of cell compositions coupled with diacylglycerol treatments will
determine if the effect is direct or indirect.  Examination of a number of
peptides and proteins known to affect neuron behavior or be associated with
neurons in hydra will determine if any is the signal.  [3] To identify
genes involved in the commitment decisions.  The approach is to determine
if specific genes involved in neuron differentiation decisions in both
vertebrates and arthropods are present in hydra.  These will be identified
using PCR, and the isolation and sequencing of corresponding cDNAs.
Expression patterns of the gene at the mRNA and protein level will
determine if they affect the neuron lineage.  The initial candidates will
be members of the achaete-scute family of genes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2196514
- **Project number:** 5R01HD008086-21
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MJC5FCYQTPE6
- **Principal Investigator:** HANS R BODE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $154,109
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1976-12-01 → 1996-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2196514

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2196514, REGULATION OF MULTIPOTENT STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION (5R01HD008086-21). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2196514. Licensed CC0.

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