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Rex1 (zfp42) is a zinc finger protein expressed primarily in undifferentiated stem cells, both in the embryo and the adult. Upon all-trans retinoic acid induced differentiation of murine embryonic stem (ES) cells, Rex1 mRNA levels decrease several fold. To characterize the function(s) of Rex1 more extensively, we generated Rex1 double knockout ES cell lines. The disruption of the Rex1 gene enhanced the expression of ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm markers as compared to wild-type (Wt) cells. We propose that Rex1 acts to reduce retinoic acid induced differentiation in ES cells. We performed microarray analyses on Wt and Rex1-/- cells cultured in the presence or absence of LIF to identify potential Rex1 targets. We also evaluated gene expression in a Wt line that overexpresses Rex1 and in a Rex1-/- line in which Rex1 expression was restored. These data, taken together, suggest that Rex1 influences differentiation, cell cycle regulation, and cancer progression., (Copyright (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The incorporation of lanthanide ions into polyoxometalates may be a unique approach to generate new luminescent, magnetic, and catalytic functional materials. To realize these new applications of lanthanide polyoxometalates, it is imperative to understand the solution speciation chemistry and its impact on solid-state materials. In this study we find that the aqueous speciation of europium(III) and the trivacant polyoxometalate, PW9O34 9-, is a function of pH, countercation, and stoichiometry. For example, at low pH, the lacunary (PW11O39)7- predominates and the 1:1 Eu(PW11O39)4-, 2, forms. As the pH is increased, the 1:2 complex, Eu(PW11O39)2 11- species, 3, and (NH4)22[(Eu2PW10O38)4(W3O8(H2O)2(OH)4].44H2O, a Eu8 hydroxo/oxo cluster, 1, form. Countercations modulate this effect; large countercations, such as K+ and Cs+, promote the formation of species 3 and 1. Addition of Al(III) as a counterion results in low pH and formation of [Eu(H2O)3(alpha-2-P2W17O61)]2, 4, with Al(III) counterions bound to terminal W-O bonds. The four species observed in these speciation studies have been isolated, crystallized, and characterized by X-ray crystallography, solution multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and other appropriate tech-niques. These species are 1, (NH4)22[(Eu2PW10O38)4(W3O8(H2O)2(OH)4].44H2O (P; a=20.2000(0), b=22.6951(6), c=25.3200(7) A; alpha=65.6760(10), beta=88.5240(10), gamma=86.0369(10) degrees; V=10550.0(5) A3; Z=2), 2, Al(H3O)[Eu(H2O)2PW11O34].20H2O (P, a=11.4280(23), b=11.5930(23), c=19.754(4) A; alpha=103.66(3), beta=95.29(3), gamma=102.31(3) degrees; V =2456.4(9) A3; Z=2), 3, Cs11Eu(PW11O34)2.28H2O (P; a=12.8663(14), b=19.8235(22), c=21.7060(23) A; alpha=114.57(0), beta=91.86(0), gamma=102.91(0) degrees ; V=4858.3(9) A3; Z=2), 4, Al2(H3O)8[Eu(H2O)3(alpha-2-P2W17O61)]2.29H2O (P; a=12.649(6), b=16.230(8), c=21.518(9) A; alpha=111.223(16), beta=94.182(18), gamma=107.581(17) degrees ; V=3842(3) A3; Z=1).