title: Embryonic stem cell technology: applications and uses in functional genomic studies.
abstract: In this postgenomic era, the role of functional genomics is becoming increasingly important and playing a key role in this field are embryonic stem cells. These cells are capable of proliferating indefinitely in a pluripotent state and have the potential to differentiate into all somatic cell types. Through a combination of their ease of genetic manipulation and directed in vitro differentiation they have proved themselves to be an extremely valuable tool in functional genomics. Here, some of their applications in functional genomic studies are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Sciences Limited, Roger Land Building,West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ, UK. ruairi.friel@stemcellsciences.com
authors.forename: Ruairi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friel
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hook
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics