title: Current challenges in human embryonic stem cell research: directed differentiation and transplantation tolerance.
abstract: Research towards potential curative transplantation of human embryonic stem (hES) cell-derived grafts in a variety of diseases has become an important topic since the successful derivation and propagation of hES cells from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst. However, clinical applicability can only be established after intensive laboratory studies that should elaborate on two major topics: A) the development of efficient, controlled and stable hES cell differentiation protocols for any specific cell type, and B) the induction of immunological tolerance against transplanted allogeneic hES cell-derived cell types. This review will briefly discuss: A) current possibilities in hES cell differentiation, followed by the development of viral, DNA and mRNA-based gene transfer strategies for hES cells, and B) possible immune modulation strategies for inducing immune tolerance against allogeneic hES cell transplants.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium. Peter.Ponsaerts@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ponsaerts
authors.forename: V F I
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: van Tendeloo
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Jorens
authors.forename: Z N
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Berneman
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: van Bockstaele
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance