The origin and identity of embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are used extensively in biomedical research and as a model with which to study early mammalian development, but their exact origin has been subject to much debate. They are routinely derived from pre-implantation embryos, but it has been suggested that the cells that give r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inDevelopment (Cambridge) Vol. 138; no. 1; pp. 3 - 8
Main Authors Nichols, Jennifer, Smith, Austin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.01.2011
Subjects
Animals
Embryo Implantation - physiology
Embryo, Mammalian - cytology
Embryonic Stem Cells - cytology
Embryonic Stem Cells - metabolism
Germ Layers - cytology
Germ Layers - metabolism
Humans
Models, Biological
Pluripotent Stem Cells - cytology
Pluripotent Stem Cells - metabolism
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Summary:Embryonic stem (ES) cells are used extensively in biomedical research and as a model with which to study early mammalian development, but their exact origin has been subject to much debate. They are routinely derived from pre-implantation embryos, but it has been suggested that the cells that give rise to ES cells might arise from epiblast cells that are already predisposed to a primordial germ cell (PGC) fate, which then progress to ES cell status via the PGC lineage. Based on recent findings, we propose here that ES cells can be derived directly from early epiblast cells and that ES cells might arise via two different routes that are dictated by their culture conditions.
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ISSN:0950-1991
1477-9129
DOI:10.1242/dev.050831