In vitro test for embryotoxic and teratogenic agents using differentiation-dependent reporter expression in pluripotent rodent embryonic cells

摘要

PCT No. PCT/DE96/01183 Sec. 371 Date Feb. 24, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Feb. 24, 1998 PCT Filed Jun. 27, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/01644 PCT Pub. Date Jan. 16, 1997The invention concerns an in vitro test procedure for the detection of chemically induced effects on embryonic development and for differentiation for the purpose of embryotoxicity/teratogenicity screening based on differentiated pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells from mice and rats using embryonic germ (EG) cells obtained from primoridial germ cells. The proposed test procedure is characterised in that stable transgenic ES or EG cell clones containing tissue-specific promoters and reporter genes are selected, differentiation-dependent expression of tissue-specific genes is carried out following differentiation of ES cells in the presence of embryotoxic substances acting at specific times into different germination path derivatives; this is followed by detection of chemically induced activation, repression or modulation of tissue-specific genes which regulate embryonic development.