Fig. 6. Glial fate decision by Sox10+/– mutant cells is dependent on community effects and the presence of the instructive growth factor NRG1. (A,B) Normal expression of ErbB3 mRNA in wild type and Sox10+/– mutant embryos at E13. In situ hybridization analysis on transverse sections showed normal expression in DRG and peripheral nerves (arrow) of wild type and Sox10+/– animals. nt, neural tube. Scale bar: 20 µm. (C-F) Undifferentiated neural crest-derived cells isolated from DRG of wild type and Sox10+/– mutant E13 embryos were incubated at high density in differentiation medium supplemented with NRG1. Under these conditions, Sox10+/– mutant cells were able to differentiate into GFAP-positive glia (C,D) that after prolonged incubation expressed the glial differentiation marker O4 (E,F).
