Glycogen synthase kinase 3β and activin/nodal inhibition in human embryonic stem cells induces a pre-neuroepithelial state that is required for specification to a floor plate cell lineage.

The floor plate is one of the major organizers of the developing nervous system through its secretion of sonic hedgehog (Shh). Although the floor plate is located within the neural tube, the derivation of the floor plate during development is still debatable and some studies suggest that floor plate cells are specified by Shh in a temporarily restricted window different to neuroepithelial cells. Using human embryonic stem cells (hESC) as a model of neurogenesis, we sought to determine how floor plate cells may be temporarily specified by SHH signaling during human embryogenesis.

Mouse embryonic stem cell derivation, and mouse and human embryonic stem cell culture and differentiation as embryoid bodies.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells derived from developing mouse blastocysts in vitro that maintain long-term self renewal and the capacity to give rise to all cell types in the adult body (including some extraembryonic cell types) when subjected to the appropriate conditions. It is envisaged that the development of methods enabling controlled differentiation of mouse ES cell counterparts from human blastocysts would enable the provision of an unlimited supply of tissue for cell and tissue transplantation therapies for the repair and replacement of diseased, injured, and senescent tissue. Furthermore, derivation of mouse ES cells has allowed for the generation of thousands of gene-targeted mouse mutants.

BMPs regulate differentiation of a putative visceral endoderm layer within human embryonic stem-cell-derived embryoid bodies.

Human embryonic stem cells (HESCs), pluripotent cells derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of human blastocysts, represent a novel tool for the study of early human developmental events. When cultured in suspension with serum, HESCs form spherical structures resembling embryoid bodies (EBs). We show that differentiation of HESCs within EBs occurs radially, with central cells then undergoing apoptosis in association with EB cavitation.

A murine respiratory-inducing niche displays variable efficiency across human and mouse embryonic stem cell species.

Human embryonic stemlike cells (hESCs) are pluripotent cells derived from blastocysts. Differentiating hESCs into respiratory lineages may benefit respiratory therapeutic programs. We previously demonstrated that 24% of all mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) derivatives cocultured with embryonic day 11.

Human embryonic stem cells form embryoid bodies containing visceral endoderm-like derivatives.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the potential of human embryonic stem (hES) cells to provide an in vitro model of human extraembryonic endoderm development.

Methods: The hES cell line HES-2 was propagated in Dulbecco's modification of Eagle's medium (DMEM) in the presence of 20% fetal calf serum (FCS) on a mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder layer. Clumps of approximately 50-100 cells were transferred to fresh DMEM and FCS and grown as embryoid bodies (EBs) in suspension culture.

Derivation, propagation and differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are in vitro cultivated pluripotent cells derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of the embryonic blastocyst. Attesting to their pluripotency, ES cells can be differentiated into representative derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers (endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm) both in vitro and in vivo. Although mouse ES cells have been studied for many years, human ES cells have only more recently been derived and successfully propagated.