Transcriptomic characterization of C57BL/6 mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation and its modulation by developmental toxicants

To develop an in vitro model for developmental toxicity testing, we characterized gene expression changes during mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) differentiation and their modulation by developmental toxicants. C57BL/6 mESCs were allowed to differentiate spontaneously and global gene expression changes were studied using microarrays at at different time points after embryoid body (EB) formation. Develpmental toxicants tested include 2.0 mM monobutyl phthalate (MBP), 0.25 mM thalidomide (THD), and 1.0 mM valproic acid (VPA). RNA of control samples (unexposed) was collected at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 168 h after EB formation; RNA of compound-exposed samples were collected at 24 h after EB formation. Three replicates were included for each experimental condition.