title: The culture of mouse embryonic stem cells and formation of embryoid bodies.
abstract: Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells isolated from the inner cell mass of the pre-implantation blastocyst. They have the capacity to undergo indefinite rounds of self-renewing cell division and differentiate into all the cell lineages of the developing embryo. In suspension culture, ES cells will differentiate into aggregates known as embryoid bodies in a manner similar to the early embryo. This culture system therefore provides a useful model to study the relatively inaccessible stages of mammalian development. We describe methods for the routine maintenance of mouse embryonic stem cells in culture, assays of stem cell self-renewal potential in monolayer culture and the generation of embryoid bodies to study differentiation pathways.
authors.affiliation: John Hughes Bennett Laboratory, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, EH164TJ, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Melany
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: A Helen
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Lesley M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Forrester
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D015925:Cryopreservation; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000378:metabolism; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005615:Freezing; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013535:Suspensions
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013535:Suspensions