title: Culture conditions for bovine embryonic stem cell-like cells isolated from blastocysts after external fertilization.
abstract: Although isolation and characterization of embryonic stem cells have been successful in cattle, maintenance of bovine embryonic stem cells in culture remains difficult. In this study, we compared different methods of cell passaging, feeder cell layers and medium conditions for bovine embryonic stem cell-like cells. We found that a murine embryonic fibroblast feeder layer is more suitable for embryonic stem cell-like cells than bovine embryonic fibroblasts. When murine embryonic fibroblasts were used, a mechanical method of passaging led to better cell growth than passaging by trypsin digestion. We also found that  exogenous supplementation with leukemia inhibitory factor maintained the embryonic stem cell-like cells in an undifferentiated state, whereas addition of stem cell factor resulted in their differentiation. Our findings provide an experimental basis for the establishment of an effective culture system for bovine embryonic stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia University, Inner Mongolia, 010021, Hohhot, China.
authors.forename: Muzi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Asga
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Sergei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dorzhin
authors.forename: Qunhua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Yuzhen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Dongjun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu