Rapid induction and long-term self-renewal of primitive neural precursors from human embryonic stem cells by small molecule inhibitors.

ABSTRACT: Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) hold enormous promise for regenerative medicine. Typically, hESC-based applications would require their in vitro differentiation into a desirable homogenous cell population. A major challenge of the current hESC differentiation paradigm is the inability to effectively capture and, in the long-term, stably expand primitive lineage-specific stem/precursor cells that retain broad differentiation potential and, more importantly, developmental stage-specific differentiation propensity. Here, we report synergistic inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and Notch signaling pathways by small molecules can efficiently convert monolayer cultured hESCs into homogenous primitive neuroepithelium within 1 wk under chemica

SUBMITTER: Li W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3100988 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature