Cellular Zinc Homeostasis Contributes to Neuronal Differentiation in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Figure 3

Zinc deficiency significantly impairs iPS cell differentiation. (a) The average size of NSC clusters is not significantly altered upon zinc deficiency. (b) The mean number of NSC clusters per area measured on a 10 cm petri dish is significantly reduced in zinc deficient conditions (-test, ; ). (c) Apoptosis and necrosis were evaluated for the NSC stage during differentiation. No difference in the number of cells labeled with markers for apoptosis or necrosis was found between zinc deficient and zinc sufficient media (-test, ). Right panel: exemplary images of NSC stained with annexin V labeled with FITC (apoptotic cells) and ethidium homodimer III (necrotic cells) and DAPI (total number of cells). (d) The mean number of cells showing signals specific for cleaved caspase-3 was increased under zinc deficient conditions seen as trend (-test, ; ). Right panel: exemplary images of NSC stained with anti-active caspase-3 antibody and DAPI. (e) A significant increase in apoptotic cells was detected in embryoid bodies grown under zinc deficient conditions using the ApoTox-Glo™ Triplex Assay (-test, ; ). ; .

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