title: Pluripotency: capacity for in vitro differentiation of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells.
abstract: Embryonic stem (ES) cells, the pluripotent cells of early embryos have been successfully cultured as undifferentiated cells. The cells are characterized by two unique properties, unlimited self-renewal capacity and the ability to differentiate into all cells of the body. Because of the high in vitro differentiation potential, ES cells have been used as model system in cell and developmental biology. Here we present methods that use mouse embryonic stem cells for the in vitro differentiation and characterization of neuronal, cardiac, pancreatic and hepatic cells, derivatives of the ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm, respectively. In the future, differentiated cells may be also generated from human ES cells by cultivation of early embryos or from reprogrammed cells derived by nuclear transfer. Such cells could represent potential sources for tissue repair of serious human diseases.
authors.affiliation: In Vitro Differentiation Group, Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wiese
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kania
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rolletschek
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blyszczuk
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wobus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media