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Generation of neural crest progenitors from human embryonic stem cells
Author(s) -
Chimge NyamOsor,
Bayarsaihan Dashzeveg
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of experimental zoology part b: molecular and developmental evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1552-5015
pISSN - 1552-5007
DOI - 10.1002/jez.b.21321
Subject(s) - neural crest , embryonic stem cell , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , progenitor cell , multipotent stem cell , anatomy , developmental biology , neural plate , adult stem cell , neuroscience , population , neural stem cell , embryo , genetics , medicine , environmental health , gene
Abstract The neural crest (NC) is a transient population of multipotent progenitors arising at the lateral edge of the neural plate in vertebrate embryos, which then migrate throughout the body to generate diverse array of tissues such as the peripheral nervous system, skin melanocytes, and craniofacial cartilage, bone and teeth. The transient nature of neural crest stem cells make extremely challenging to study the biology of these important cells. In humans induction and differentiation of embryonic NC occurs very early, within a few weeks of fertilization giving rise to technical and ethical issues surrounding isolation of early embryonic tissues and therefore severely limiting the study of human NC cells. For that reason our current knowledge of the biology of NC mostly derives from the studies of lower organisms. Recent progress in human embryonic stem cell research provides a unique opportunity for generation of a useful source of cells for basic developmental studies. The development of cost‐effective, time and labor efficient improved differentiation protocols for the production of human NC cells is a critical step toward a better understanding of NC biology. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 314B:95–103, 2010 . © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.