Self-contained induction of neurons from human embryonic stem cells.

Background: Neurons and glial cells can be efficiently induced from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells in a conditioned medium collected from rat primary-cultured astrocytes (P-ACM). However, the use of rodent primary cells for clinical applications may be hampered by limited supply and risk of contamination with xeno-proteins.

Methodology/principal Findings: We have developed an alternative method for unimpeded production of human neurons under xeno-free conditions.

Pathway for differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to vascular cell components and their potential for vascular regeneration.

Objective: We demonstrated previously that mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGF-R2)-positive cells can differentiate into both vascular endothelial cells and mural cells. This time, we investigated kinetics of differentiation of human ES cells to vascular cells and examined their potential as a source for vascular regeneration.

Methods And Results: Unlike mouse ES cells, undifferentiated human ES cells already expressed VEGF-R2, but after differentiation, a VEGF-R2-positive but tumor rejection antigen 1-60 (TRA1-60)-negative population emerged.

Transplantation of neural cells derived from retinoic acid-treated cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem cells successfully improved motor function of hemiplegic mice with experimental brain injury.

We induced neural cells by treating cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem (ES) cells with retinoic acid. The treated cells mainly expressed betaIIItubulin. They further differentiated into neurons expressing neurofilament middle chain (NFM) in elongated axons.

Different differentiation kinetics of vascular progenitor cells in primate and mouse embryonic stem cells.

Background: We demonstrated that vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGF-R2)-positive cells derived from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can differentiate into both endothelial cells and mural cells to suffice as vascular progenitor cells (VPCs). Here we examined whether VPCs occur in primate ES cells and investigated the differences in VPC differentiation kinetics between primate and mouse ES cells.

Methods And Results: In contrast to mouse ES cells, undifferentiated monkey ES cells expressed VEGF-R2.

Monkey embryonic stem cell lines expressing green fluorescent protein.

The major limitation of nonhuman primate (NHP) embryonic stem (ES) cell research is inefficient genetic modification and limited knowledge of differentiation mechanisms. A genetically modified NHP-ES cell with biomarkers, such as green fluorescent protein (GFP), that allow noninvasive monitoring of transgenic cells, is a useful tool to study cell differentiation control during preimplantation and fetal development, which also plays a crucial role in the development of cell transplantation medicine. Here we report the establishment of transgenic NHP-ES cell lines that express GFP without jeopardizing their pluripotency, which was confirmed by in vitro and in vivo differentiation.