Expression of c-myc during differentiation of the human teratocarcinoma cell line Tera-2.

The quantity of c-myc mRNA was measured during the retinoic-acid-induced differentiation of the pluripotent human teratoma cell line, Tera-2 cl. 13. As the cells were exposed to retinoic acid for longer periods of time the duration of the cell cycle progressively increased (measured by the rate of S phase entry) until the cells were effectively quiescent and expressed characteristic differentiation markers. Under these circumstances steady-state levels of c-myc expression increased by up to 1.6-fold with respect to rapidly growing undifferentiated cells. Southern blot analysis of the c-myc genes in Tera-2 indicated no major rearrangement or amplification in the cell line.