Derivation and growing human embryonic stem cells on feeders derived from themselves.
Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are pluripotent. They have the potential to differentiate into every cell type of an organism. Since many human somatic cell types have the ability to support the growth of hESCs, cells differentiated from hESCs may also be able to support the growth of themselves. We tested this hypothesis by growing hESCs on feeders derived from themselves and demonstrated that such feeders did constitute an environment suitable for the derivation and long-term growth of hESCs. hESCs maintained in this system expressed all the markers indicative of the undifferentiated state and gave rise to cell types representative of all three primary germ layers upon differentiation. By modifying the genome of hESCs, feeders with special features can be derived and mass produced. The system will facilitate large-scale production of hESCs in a standardized animal pathogen-free environment.
Wang
Qian
Q
Center for Developmental Biology, 1665 Kong Jiang Road, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200092, P.R. China.
Fang
Zhen F
ZF
Jin
Fan
F
Lu
Yong
Y
Gai
Hui
H
Sheng
Hui Z
HZ
D000818:Animals; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D003470:Culture Media; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007621:Karyotyping; D051379:Mice; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D003470:Culture Media; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned