Embryonic to Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation

Madison, Wisconsin -

ES cells are very useful since they can be genetically modified to overexpress specific genes, or alternatively, specific genes can be deleted.

In a recent publication (Trivedi et al. Simultaneous generation of CD34 primitive hematopoietic cells and CD73 mesenchymal stem cells from human embryonic stem cells cocultured with murine OP9 stromal cells.Exp Hematol. 2007 Jan;35(1):146-154) it was demonstrated that culture of human ES cells under specific conditions can result in generation of not only hematopoietic stem cells that are CD34+, but also in mesenchymal stem cells.

The ability to generate mesenchymal stem cells from embryonic stem cells is very important for therapeutics development since mesenchymal stem cells can be transplanted across allogeneic barriers without the need for immune suppression.