Unnatural amino acids (UAAs) have been used in bacteria and yeast to pinpoint protein binding sites, identify binding partners, PEGylate proteins site-specifically (vs. randomly), and attach small molecule fluorophores to proteins. The process of UAA incorporation involves the manipulation of the genetic code, which is established by the proper function of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (RSs) and their cognate transfer RNAs (tRNAs). It has been discovered that certain regions of RS proteins can either block or enable cross-species reactivity of RSs. In essence, a bacterial RS can function with a human tRNA by transferring the human CP1 region to the bacterial RS, and vice versa. This knowledge has been used to engineer a tRNA capable of recognizing a stop codon (tRNA*), rather than an amino acid codon, and a cognate RS capable of recognizing only tRNA* and no endogenous tRNAs. We have previously described the use of this methodology to engineer a UAA incorporation system capable of amber stop codon suppression in HEK293T cells. Since UAAs are so useful, and their use has now been enabled in mammalian systems, we applied UAA incorporation to pluripotent cells. Stem and pluripotent cells have been the focus of cutting edge research for years, but much of the work done on these cell lines is done in the ignorance of basic biological processes underlying differentiation, dedifferentiation, and tumorigenesis. In order to facilitate the study of these basic biological processes and enable more adept manipulation of differentiation, dedifferentiation, and tumorigenesis, the development and use of two separate UAA incorporation systems is described herein. The overarching goal of this project is to facilitate the study of protein-protein interactions in stem and pluripotent cells. Since we have also previously described the development of a mammalian two-hybrid system, the use of that system in pluripotent cells is also described. / text

Os microRNAs (miRs) desempenham um papel importante na biologia das células-tronco por meio da interação com seus mRNAs alvos, induzindo inibição da tradução e/ou degradação destes transcritos. Durante a diferenciação de células pluripotentes, os miRs podem ser induzidos ou reprimidos, no entanto, suas funções específicas são amplamente inexploradas. Nós investigamos os papéis funcionais de um conjunto selecionado de miRs na pluripotência e diferenciação celular, usando microscopia de fluorescência quantitativa (High Content Analysis). Para isso, foram empregadas a NTera-2 (células de carcinoma embrionário humano, CCE) e a H1 (células-tronco embrionárias humanas, CTEh) como modelos. Essas células foram transfectadas reversamente com trinta moléculas de miRs distintas (individualmente) ou moléculas controles. Após 3-4 dias de cultura, as células foram fixadas, permeabilizadas e coradas com Hoechst / CellMask Blue (núcleo/citoplasma), anti-OCT4, anti-Ciclina B1 e imageadas com um sistema ImageXpress Micro HCA. O CellProfiler foi utilizado para quantificar vários parâmetros morfométricos e medidas de intensidade de OCT4 e Ciclina B1 em compartimentos nucleares e citoplasmáticos. Esses dados foram usados para gerar perfis fenotípicos multiparamétricos específicos de cada miR (usando KNIME) e o agrupamento desses dados levou à identificação de vias e processos envolvidos na indução de características de pluripotência ou diferenciação celular causadas por miRs com efeitos fenotípicos similares. Como exemplo, as vias de PI3K-AKT, WNT, TGF? e DICER foram encontradas como moduladas por alguns clusters fenotípicos e os transcritos de alguns alvos foram avaliados por qPCR para validar os achados. Parte do trabalho foi focada na regulação da via Notch por miRNAs em células pluripotentes, o que levou à observação de que o miR- 363-3p inibe a sinalização de Notch e promove pluripotência nessas células. A transfecção de miR-363-3p não apenas elevou as características de pluripotência em NTera-2 e H1, mas também protegeu as CCE da diferenciação induzida por cocultivo com OP9 expressando DLL1 e causou a diminuição no nível de transcritos de PSEN1. Em conclusão, o ensaio desenvolvido aqui provou ser uma ferramenta robusta na detecção de mecanismos moleculares, baseando-se na combinação de análises fenotípicas funcionais e bioinformáticas. / microRNAs (miRs) play an important role in stem cell\'s biology by binding to target mRNAs transcripts, inducing translation blockage and/or transcripts degradation. Upon differentiation of pluripotent cells, miRNAs can be induced or repressed, however, their specific roles are largely unexplored. We investigated the functional roles of a selected set of miRs in pluripotency and differentiation, using quantitative automated fluorescence microscopy (High Content Analysis). For this, we used NTera-2 (human embryonal carcinoma cells, ECC) and H1 (embryonic stem cells; ESC) as models. These cells were reverse-transfected with thirty distinct miRs mimics (individually) or control molecules. Following 3-4 days of culture, cells were fixed, permeabilized and stained with Hoechst/CellMask Blue (nucleus/cytoplasm), antiOCT4, anti-Cyclin B1 and imaged using an ImageXpress Micro HCA System. CellProfiler was used to quantify several morphometric parameters and intensity measurements of OCT4 and CYCB1 in nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. Quantified parameters were used to generate miR-specific multiparametric phenotypic profiles (using KNIME) and clustering these data led to identification of pathways and processes involved in the induction of pluripotency or cell diferention features caused by miRs with similar phenotypic effects. As an example, PI3K-AKT, WNT, TGF? and DICER pathways were found to be regulated by some phenotypic clusters and transcripts level of some of miR targets were evaluated by qPCR to validate de findings. Part of the work was focused in the regulation of Notch pathway by miRNAs in pluripotent cells, which led the observation that miR-363-3p inhibits Notch signaling and promotes pluripotency feature, as the transfection with miR-363-3p mimic not only enhanced pluripotent phenotype in NTera-2 and H1, but also protected de ECCs from differentiation induced by coculture with OP9 expressing DLL1 and decreased PSEN1 transcripts level.In conclusion, The assay developed here proved to be a robust tool in the detection of molecular mechanisms based on combined functional phenotypic and bioinformatic analyzes.

Os microRNAs (miRs) desempenham um papel importante na biologia das células-tronco por meio da interação com seus mRNAs alvos, induzindo inibição da tradução e/ou degradação destes transcritos. Durante a diferenciação de células pluripotentes, os miRs podem ser induzidos ou reprimidos, no entanto, suas funções específicas são amplamente inexploradas. Nós investigamos os papéis funcionais de um conjunto selecionado de miRs na pluripotência e diferenciação celular, usando microscopia de fluorescência quantitativa (High Content Analysis). Para isso, foram empregadas a NTera-2 (células de carcinoma embrionário humano, CCE) e a H1 (células-tronco embrionárias humanas, CTEh) como modelos. Essas células foram transfectadas reversamente com trinta moléculas de miRs distintas (individualmente) ou moléculas controles. Após 3-4 dias de cultura, as células foram fixadas, permeabilizadas e coradas com Hoechst / CellMask Blue (núcleo/citoplasma), anti-OCT4, anti-Ciclina B1 e imageadas com um sistema ImageXpress Micro HCA. O CellProfiler foi utilizado para quantificar vários parâmetros morfométricos e medidas de intensidade de OCT4 e Ciclina B1 em compartimentos nucleares e citoplasmáticos. Esses dados foram usados para gerar perfis fenotípicos multiparamétricos específicos de cada miR (usando KNIME) e o agrupamento desses dados levou à identificação de vias e processos envolvidos na indução de características de pluripotência ou diferenciação celular causadas por miRs com efeitos fenotípicos similares. Como exemplo, as vias de PI3K-AKT, WNT, TGF? e DICER foram encontradas como moduladas por alguns clusters fenotípicos e os transcritos de alguns alvos foram avaliados por qPCR para validar os achados. Parte do trabalho foi focada na regulação da via Notch por miRNAs em células pluripotentes, o que levou à observação de que o miR- 363-3p inibe a sinalização de Notch e promove pluripotência nessas células. A transfecção de miR-363-3p não apenas elevou as características de pluripotência em NTera-2 e H1, mas também protegeu as CCE da diferenciação induzida por cocultivo com OP9 expressando DLL1 e causou a diminuição no nível de transcritos de PSEN1. Em conclusão, o ensaio desenvolvido aqui provou ser uma ferramenta robusta na detecção de mecanismos moleculares, baseando-se na combinação de análises fenotípicas funcionais e bioinformáticas. / microRNAs (miRs) play an important role in stem cell\'s biology by binding to target mRNAs transcripts, inducing translation blockage and/or transcripts degradation. Upon differentiation of pluripotent cells, miRNAs can be induced or repressed, however, their specific roles are largely unexplored. We investigated the functional roles of a selected set of miRs in pluripotency and differentiation, using quantitative automated fluorescence microscopy (High Content Analysis). For this, we used NTera-2 (human embryonal carcinoma cells, ECC) and H1 (embryonic stem cells; ESC) as models. These cells were reverse-transfected with thirty distinct miRs mimics (individually) or control molecules. Following 3-4 days of culture, cells were fixed, permeabilized and stained with Hoechst/CellMask Blue (nucleus/cytoplasm), antiOCT4, anti-Cyclin B1 and imaged using an ImageXpress Micro HCA System. CellProfiler was used to quantify several morphometric parameters and intensity measurements of OCT4 and CYCB1 in nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. Quantified parameters were used to generate miR-specific multiparametric phenotypic profiles (using KNIME) and clustering these data led to identification of pathways and processes involved in the induction of pluripotency or cell diferention features caused by miRs with similar phenotypic effects. As an example, PI3K-AKT, WNT, TGF? and DICER pathways were found to be regulated by some phenotypic clusters and transcripts level of some of miR targets were evaluated by qPCR to validate de findings. Part of the work was focused in the regulation of Notch pathway by miRNAs in pluripotent cells, which led the observation that miR-363-3p inhibits Notch signaling and promotes pluripotency feature, as the transfection with miR-363-3p mimic not only enhanced pluripotent phenotype in NTera-2 and H1, but also protected de ECCs from differentiation induced by coculture with OP9 expressing DLL1 and decreased PSEN1 transcripts level.In conclusion, The assay developed here proved to be a robust tool in the detection of molecular mechanisms based on combined functional phenotypic and bioinformatic analyzes.

Durante o desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso, as oscilações da concentração de cálcio intracelular livre resultam na proliferação celular, migração e diferenciação neuronal. Nesta tese foram investigadas a participação dos receptores ionotrópicos purinérgicos dos tipos P2X2 e P2X4 seletivos ao influxo de cálcio durante a diferenciação neuronal in vitro das células de carcinoma embrionário murino P19. Identificamos o padrão diferencial de expressão de receptores purinérgicos nas células indiferenciadas e neurônios P19. O receptor P2X4 é expresso durante toda a diferenciação neuronal e o receptor P2X2 é detectado na fase tardia da diferenciação em neurônios. Através de ensaios farmacológicos, foi possível identificar a participação dos receptores metabotropicos P2Y e do receptor P2X4 na formação dos corpos embriônicos, na proliferação celular e ou na determinação do fenótipo de progenitor neural. Durante a maturação neuronal os receptores P2X2 e P2Y1 participam da determinação do fenótipo neuronal glutamatérgico NMDA e os receptores P2X2 e P2Y2 no fenótipo neuronal colinérgico. A ausência de inibidores específicos e seletivos aos receptores purinérgicos levou-nos a empregar a técnica SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) a fim de identificar inibidores seletivos aos receptores P2X2 e P2X4. A técnica envolve a utilização da biblioteca combinatória randômica de RNA 2\'- F pirimidina modificadas resistentes a nucleases. Após 9 ciclos de seleção in vitro de SELEX (ciclo 9-P2X4), as sequências selecionadas mostraram-se seletivas a ligação somente ao receptor P2X4 e não aos receptores P2X2 ou P2X7 através de ensaios de ligação radioligante-receptor. Por patch clamping na configuração whole cell recording identificou-se que além de seletividade ao receptor, que a aplicação do RNA ciclo 9- P2X4 promoveu inibição da corrente ativada pelo ATP somente nos receptores P2X4 e não em P2X2 em celulas 1321N1 astrocitoma transfectadas. A incubação do RNA ciclo 9-P2X4 na concentração de 200 nM com as células no estágio indiferenciado inibiu a formação dos corpos embriônicos. Já utilização de 25 nM, resultou em mudanças morfológicas nas células diferenciadas. Estes dados corroboram com os dados farmacológicos que identificaram a participação do receptor P2X4 na diferenciação precoce. Após 11 ciclos P2X2 de seleção, identificou-se sequências com especificidade de ligação aos receptores P2X2. Aptâmeros, moleculas de RNA com sequência identificada e com alta afinidade ao alvo da seleção, foram isolados de ambas as bibliotecas, ciclo 9 P2X4 e ciclo 11 P2X2. A co-aplicação destes aptâmeros e ATP em ensaios de whole-cell recording resultou na inibição de 30 a 80% da corrente ativada pelo ATP nos receptores P2X2 ou P2X4. Estes testes em células PC12 de rato, que expressa os receptores endógenos, resultou em inibição da corrente ativada pelo ATP de modo semelhante. Além de termos desenvolvido aptâmeros como ferramentas para elucidar as funções dos receptores P2X2 e P2X4 durante o desenvolvimento, diferenciação, em processos fisiológicos e patológicos, estas moléculas resistentes a nucleases são as primeiras identificadas capazes de reconhecer, discernir e inibir dois subtipos de receptores purinérgicos sendo promissores para utilização terapêutica. / During the development of the nervous system, oscillations of intracellular calcium concentrations activate programs of gene expression resulting in proliferation, migration and neuronal differentiation of embryonic cells. In this thesis, the participation of ionotropic P2X2 and P2X4 receptor subtypes, whose receptor channels are highly permeable for calcium influx in the cells, was studied during the process of neuronal differentiation. We have identified differential gene expression of purinergic receptors in undifferentiated and neuronal-differentiated P19 cells. P2X4 receptor expression was present along neuronal differentiation of P19 cells, whereas P2X2 receptor expression was only detected when P19 cells became neurons. Based on purinergic receptor pharmacology we have determined the participation of P2X4 receptors in addition to metabotropic P2Y2 receptors in the formation of embryonic bodies as prerequisites for phenotype determination of P19 neural progenitor cells. Final neuronal maturation of P19 cells in the presence or absence of agonists or antagonists of purinergic receptors implicated the involvement of P2X2, P2Y1, and P2Y2 in the determination of the final neuronal phenotype, such as expression of NMDA-glutamate and cholinergic receptors. In order to further evaluate the functions of these P2X receptors and due to the absence of specific inhibitors for these receptor subtypes, we have used the SELEX technique (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) to select for specific inhibitors for P2X2 and P2X4 receptors. The 2\' -F-pyrimidine modified, nuclease- resistant combinatorial SELEX RNA pool enriched with inhibitors of P2X4 receptors following nine cycles of in vitro selection (cycle 9-P2X4) specifically interacted with P2X4 receptors and not with P2X2 or P2X7 receptors as verified in radioligand-receptor binding studies. Moreover, whole-cell recording measurements using astrocytoma cells expressing recombinant rat P2X2 or P2X4 receptors showed inhibition of P2X4 but not of P2X2 receptors by the selected RNA molecules. RNA molecules selected in vitro in 11 reiterative SELEX cycles using the P2X2 receptor as target specifically bound to membrane extracts containing recombinant P2X2 receptors. From both selected RNA libraries (against P2X4 and P2X2 receptors) aptamers, as RNA molecules with identified sequences and high-affinity binding, were identified by cloning and DNA sequencing. The presence of these aptamers in whole-cell recording experiments resulted in 30-80% inhibition of ATP-induced receptor activity and did not provoke any inhibitory effects on P2X receptors which had not been used as selection target. The activity of the aptamers selected using recombinant receptors as targets in inhibiting wild-type P2X4 or P2X2 receptors was verified in whole-cell recording experiments with PC12 cells which endogenously express both receptor subtypes. In addition of having developed aptamers as tools to elucidate P2X2 and P2X4 receptor functions during neuronal differentiation, these nuclease-resistant aptamers are suitable for in vivo use and may turn into therapeutics in the inhibition of purinergic receptor participation in pathophysiological conditions.

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are specialized cells, which have remarkable ability to maintain in an undifferentiated state and are capable of undergoing differentiation to three germ-layer lineage cell types, under differentiation-enabling conditions. PSCs include embryonic stem (ES)-cells, embryonal carcinoma (EC)-cells and embryonic germ (EG)-cells. ES-cells are derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of day 3.5 blastocysts (mouse). On the other hand, EC- and EG-cells have different source of origin and exhibit some differences in terms of their differentiation abilities and culture requirements. These PSCs act as an ideal in-vitro model system to study early mammalian development and cell differentiation and, they could potentially be used for experimental cell-based therapy for a number of diseases. However, one of the problems encountered is the immune rejection of transplanted cells. For this, immune-matched induced pluripotent stem (iPS)-cells have been derived from somatic cells, by forced expression of a few stemness genes. Although, human PSCs lines are being experimented, their cell-therapeutic potential is still far from being thoroughly tested due to lack of our understanding regarding lineage-specific differentiation, homing and structural-functional integration of differentiated cell types in the host environment. To understand these mechanisms, it is desirable to have fluorescently-marked PSCs and their differentiated cell-types, which could facilitate experimental cell transplantation studies. In this regard, our laboratory has earlier generated enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-expressing FVB/N transgenic ‘green’ mouse: GU-3 line (Devgan et al., 2003). This transgenic mouse has been an excellent source of intrinsically green fluorescent cell types. Recently, we have derived a ‘GS-2’ ES-cell line from the GU-3 mouse line (Singh et al., 2012). Additionally, we envisaged the need for developing an iPS-cell line from the GU-3 mouse and then use them for studying cell differentiation. Thus, aims of the study described in the thesis are to: (1) develop an experimental system to derive EGFP-expressing fluorescently-marked iPS-cell line from a genetically non-permissive FVB/N mouse strain, characterize the established iPS-cell line and achieve differentiation of various cell types from EGFP-expressing iPS-cell line; (2) to study differentiation phenomenon, in particular to cardiac lineage, using select-cardiogenesis modulators and (3) to assess the gene-expression profiles and signaling system associated with cardiomyocyte differentiation of PSCs. This thesis is divided into four chapters with the 1st chapter being a review of literature followed by three data chapters. In the chapter I of the thesis, a comprehensive up-to¬date review of literature is provided pertaining to PSCs, their classification, derivation strategies especially for reprogramming of somatic cells for iPSC generation, their differentiation potential and characterization, particularly to cardiac lineage. Various molecular regulators involved in cardiac differentiation of PSCs with emphasis on epigenetic regulation involving DNA methylation and signaling pathways involved are described in detail. Subsequently, various approaches used for enhanced cardiac differentiation of PSCs and the therapeutic potential of PSC-derived differentiated cell types to treat disease(s) are discussed. Chapter-II describes the successful establishment of a permanent iPS-cell line (named ‘N9’ iPS-cell line) from the non-permissive FVB/N EGFP-transgenic GU-3 ‘green’ mouse. This chapter provides results pertaining to detailed derivation strategy and characterization of the ‘N9’ iPS-cell line which includes colony morphology, expansion (proliferation) efficiency, alkaline phosphatase staining, pluripotent markers’ expression analysis by qPCR and immunostaining approaches and karyotyping analysis. Further, in order to thoroughly assess the differentiation competence of the ‘N9’ iPS¬cell line, assessment of in-vitro and in-vivo differentiation potential of the ‘N9’ iPS-cell line by embryoid body (EB) formation and teratoma formation in nude mice and its detailed histological analysis showing three germ layer cell types and their derivatives were performed, followed by the generation of chimeric blastocysts by aggregation method. This established N9 iPS-cell line could potentially offer a suitable model system to study cardiac differentiation along with other established PSC lines such as the GS-2 and D3 ES-cell lines and the P19 EC-cell line. Following the establishment of the system to study cardiac differentiation of PSC lines, efforts were made to understand the biology of cardiac differentiation of PSCs (wild¬type and EGFP-transgenic PSC lines and P19 EC-cell line) using small molecules as modulators. Data pertaining to this is described in Chapter-III. The possible involvement of epigenetic regulation of cardiogenesis for example, DNA methylation changes in cardiogenesis-associated genes is studied using 5-aza cytidine as one of the chromatin modifiers. In order to understand the cardiac differentiation phenomenon, as a consequence of using 5-aza cytidine in cell culture, it was important to investigate its ability to induce/mediate cardiac differentiation. This involved an assessment by quantitating the cardiac beating phenotype and correlating this with enhanced cardiac-gene expression profiles. Further, DNA methylation regulation of cardiogenesis¬associated genes is described using various DNA methylation analysis techniques. Moreover, the possible involvement of other signaling members in mediating the cardiac differentiation is also studied using the P19 EC-cells. Results pertaining to the above findings are described in detail in the Chapter-III. Chapter-IV is focused on various efforts made towards investigating the ability of ascorbic acid to enhance cardiac differentiation of mouse ES-cells (GS-2 and D3 lines). Ascorbic acid has been implicated to be influencing cardiogenesis and it is reported to enhance differentiation of various cell types under certain culture conditions. Results pertaining to enhancement of cardiac differentiation of PSCs using ascorbic acid are presented in this chapter. This included assessment by quantitating cardiac beating phenotype and its correlation with enhanced cardiogenesis-associated gene expression profiles. Besides, estimation on the sorted cardiomyocyte population, derived from PSCs was also made using mature-cardiac marker. The possible underlying signaling mechanism involved was also studied in detail, using specific inhibitors for pERK (U0126), integrin signaling (pFAK; PP2) and collagen synthesis (DHP), in order to ascertain their involvement in ascorbic acid-mediated cardiac differentiation of mouse ES-cells. Subsequent to the three data chapters (II-IV), separate sections are provided for ‘Summary and Conclusion’ and for ‘Bibliography’, cited in the thesis. The overall scope of the study has been to understand the basic biology of cardiac differentiation from PSCs (EC-cells, iPS-cells and transgenic and wild-type ES-cells) and to assess, by using certain small molecules, whether PSCs could be coaxed to enhance the differentiation to a particular cell type (cardiac). The data contained in this thesis addresses the above theme.

Durante o desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso, as oscilações da concentração de cálcio intracelular livre resultam na proliferação celular, migração e diferenciação neuronal. Nesta tese foram investigadas a participação dos receptores ionotrópicos purinérgicos dos tipos P2X2 e P2X4 seletivos ao influxo de cálcio durante a diferenciação neuronal in vitro das células de carcinoma embrionário murino P19. Identificamos o padrão diferencial de expressão de receptores purinérgicos nas células indiferenciadas e neurônios P19. O receptor P2X4 é expresso durante toda a diferenciação neuronal e o receptor P2X2 é detectado na fase tardia da diferenciação em neurônios. Através de ensaios farmacológicos, foi possível identificar a participação dos receptores metabotropicos P2Y e do receptor P2X4 na formação dos corpos embriônicos, na proliferação celular e ou na determinação do fenótipo de progenitor neural. Durante a maturação neuronal os receptores P2X2 e P2Y1 participam da determinação do fenótipo neuronal glutamatérgico NMDA e os receptores P2X2 e P2Y2 no fenótipo neuronal colinérgico. A ausência de inibidores específicos e seletivos aos receptores purinérgicos levou-nos a empregar a técnica SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) a fim de identificar inibidores seletivos aos receptores P2X2 e P2X4. A técnica envolve a utilização da biblioteca combinatória randômica de RNA 2\'- F pirimidina modificadas resistentes a nucleases. Após 9 ciclos de seleção in vitro de SELEX (ciclo 9-P2X4), as sequências selecionadas mostraram-se seletivas a ligação somente ao receptor P2X4 e não aos receptores P2X2 ou P2X7 através de ensaios de ligação radioligante-receptor. Por patch clamping na configuração whole cell recording identificou-se que além de seletividade ao receptor, que a aplicação do RNA ciclo 9- P2X4 promoveu inibição da corrente ativada pelo ATP somente nos receptores P2X4 e não em P2X2 em celulas 1321N1 astrocitoma transfectadas. A incubação do RNA ciclo 9-P2X4 na concentração de 200 nM com as células no estágio indiferenciado inibiu a formação dos corpos embriônicos. Já utilização de 25 nM, resultou em mudanças morfológicas nas células diferenciadas. Estes dados corroboram com os dados farmacológicos que identificaram a participação do receptor P2X4 na diferenciação precoce. Após 11 ciclos P2X2 de seleção, identificou-se sequências com especificidade de ligação aos receptores P2X2. Aptâmeros, moleculas de RNA com sequência identificada e com alta afinidade ao alvo da seleção, foram isolados de ambas as bibliotecas, ciclo 9 P2X4 e ciclo 11 P2X2. A co-aplicação destes aptâmeros e ATP em ensaios de whole-cell recording resultou na inibição de 30 a 80% da corrente ativada pelo ATP nos receptores P2X2 ou P2X4. Estes testes em células PC12 de rato, que expressa os receptores endógenos, resultou em inibição da corrente ativada pelo ATP de modo semelhante. Além de termos desenvolvido aptâmeros como ferramentas para elucidar as funções dos receptores P2X2 e P2X4 durante o desenvolvimento, diferenciação, em processos fisiológicos e patológicos, estas moléculas resistentes a nucleases são as primeiras identificadas capazes de reconhecer, discernir e inibir dois subtipos de receptores purinérgicos sendo promissores para utilização terapêutica. / During the development of the nervous system, oscillations of intracellular calcium concentrations activate programs of gene expression resulting in proliferation, migration and neuronal differentiation of embryonic cells. In this thesis, the participation of ionotropic P2X2 and P2X4 receptor subtypes, whose receptor channels are highly permeable for calcium influx in the cells, was studied during the process of neuronal differentiation. We have identified differential gene expression of purinergic receptors in undifferentiated and neuronal-differentiated P19 cells. P2X4 receptor expression was present along neuronal differentiation of P19 cells, whereas P2X2 receptor expression was only detected when P19 cells became neurons. Based on purinergic receptor pharmacology we have determined the participation of P2X4 receptors in addition to metabotropic P2Y2 receptors in the formation of embryonic bodies as prerequisites for phenotype determination of P19 neural progenitor cells. Final neuronal maturation of P19 cells in the presence or absence of agonists or antagonists of purinergic receptors implicated the involvement of P2X2, P2Y1, and P2Y2 in the determination of the final neuronal phenotype, such as expression of NMDA-glutamate and cholinergic receptors. In order to further evaluate the functions of these P2X receptors and due to the absence of specific inhibitors for these receptor subtypes, we have used the SELEX technique (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) to select for specific inhibitors for P2X2 and P2X4 receptors. The 2\' -F-pyrimidine modified, nuclease- resistant combinatorial SELEX RNA pool enriched with inhibitors of P2X4 receptors following nine cycles of in vitro selection (cycle 9-P2X4) specifically interacted with P2X4 receptors and not with P2X2 or P2X7 receptors as verified in radioligand-receptor binding studies. Moreover, whole-cell recording measurements using astrocytoma cells expressing recombinant rat P2X2 or P2X4 receptors showed inhibition of P2X4 but not of P2X2 receptors by the selected RNA molecules. RNA molecules selected in vitro in 11 reiterative SELEX cycles using the P2X2 receptor as target specifically bound to membrane extracts containing recombinant P2X2 receptors. From both selected RNA libraries (against P2X4 and P2X2 receptors) aptamers, as RNA molecules with identified sequences and high-affinity binding, were identified by cloning and DNA sequencing. The presence of these aptamers in whole-cell recording experiments resulted in 30-80% inhibition of ATP-induced receptor activity and did not provoke any inhibitory effects on P2X receptors which had not been used as selection target. The activity of the aptamers selected using recombinant receptors as targets in inhibiting wild-type P2X4 or P2X2 receptors was verified in whole-cell recording experiments with PC12 cells which endogenously express both receptor subtypes. In addition of having developed aptamers as tools to elucidate P2X2 and P2X4 receptor functions during neuronal differentiation, these nuclease-resistant aptamers are suitable for in vivo use and may turn into therapeutics in the inhibition of purinergic receptor participation in pathophysiological conditions.