Generation of bladder urothelium from human pluripotent stem cells under chemically defined serum- and feeder-free system.

ABSTRACT: Human stem cells are promising sources for bladder regeneration. Among several possible sources, pluripotent stem cells are the most fascinating because they can differentiate into any cell type, and proliferate limitlessly in vitro. Here, we developed a protocol for differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into bladder urothelial cells (BUCs) under a chemically defined culture system. We first differentiated hPSCs into definitive endoderm (DE), and further specified DE cells into BUCs by treating retinoic acid under a keratinocyte-specific serum free medium. hPSC-derived DE cells showed significantly expressed DE-specific genes, but did not express mesodermal or ectodermal genes. After DE cells were specified into BUCs, they notably expressed urothelium-specific genes such

SUBMITTER: Kang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4057664 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature