Development and characterization of a mouse floxed Bmp2 osteoblast cell line that retains osteoblast genotype and phenotype

Li An Wu, Junsheng Feng, Lynn Wang, Yan Dong Mu, Andrew Baker, Kevin J. Donly, Stephen E. Harris, Mary MacDougall, Shuo Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (Bmp2) is essential for osteoblast differentiation and osteogenesis. Generation of floxed Bmp2 osteoblast cell lines is a valuable tool for studying the effects of Bmp2 on osteoblast differentiation and its signaling pathways during skeletal metabolism. Due to relatively limited sources of primary osteoblasts, we have developed cell lines that serve as good surrogate models for the study of osteoblast cell differentiation and bone mineralization. In this study, we established and characterized immortalized mouse floxed Bmp2 osteoblast cell lines. Primary mouse floxed Bmp2 osteoblasts were transfected with pSV3-neo and clonally selected. These transfected cells were verified by PCR and immunohistochemistry. To determine the genotype and phenotype of the immortalized cells, cell morphology, proliferation, differentiation and mineralization were analyzed. Also, expression of osteoblast-related gene markers including Runx2, Osx, ATF4, Dlx3, bone sialoprotein, dentin matrix protein 1, osteonectin, osteocalcin and osteopontin were examined by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. These results showed that immortalized floxed Bmp2 osteoblasts had a higher proliferation rate but preserved their genotypic and phenotypic characteristics similar to the primary cells. Thus, we, for the first time, describe the development of immortalized mouse floxed Bmp2 osteoblast cell lines and present a useful model to study osteoblast biology mediated by BMP2 and its downstream signaling transduction pathways.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)545-558
Number of pages14
JournalCell and Tissue Research
Volume343
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2011

Keywords

  • Floxed Bmp2
  • Gene expression
  • Immortalization
  • Osteoblast
  • SV40-T-Ag

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Histology
  • Cell Biology

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