Open AccessDerivation and Growing Human Embryonic Stem Cells on Feeders Derived from Themselves
Author(s) -
Wang Qian,
Fang Zhen F.,
Jin Fan,
Lu Yong,
Gai Hui,
Sheng Hui Z.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1634/stemcells.2004-0347
Subject(s) - biology , embryonic stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , somatic cell , stem cell , germ layer , induced pluripotent stem cell , cellular differentiation , kosr , cell type , genetics , cell , gene
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.