Project description:Here we analyzed undifferentiated cells and perfomed the Teratoma assay for a normal human embryonic stem cell line (H9(+Dox)), a human embryonic stem cell line with a mesendodermal differentiation bias (H9Hyb), a normal human induced pluripotent stem cell line (LU07), a human induced pluripotent stem cell line with reactivated transgenes (LU07+Dox) and a human embryonal carcinoma cell line (EC). The ability to form teratomas in vivo containing multiple somatic cell types is regarded as functional evidence of pluripotency for human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Since the Teratoma assay is animal-dependent, laborious and only qualitative, the PluriTest and the hPSC ScoreCard assay have been developed as in vitro alternatives. Here we compared normal hPSCs, induced hPSCs (hiPSCs) with reactivated reprogramming transgenes and human embryonal carcinoma (hEC) cells in these assays. While normal hPSCs gave rise to typical teratomas, the xenografts of the hEC cells and the hiPSCs with reactivated reprogramming transgenes were largely undifferentiated and malignant. The hPSC ScoreCard assay confirmed the line-specific differentiation propensities in vitro. However, when undifferentiated cells were analysed with PluriTest only hEC cells were identified as abnormal whereas all other cell lines were indistinguishable and resembled normal hPSCs. Our results indicate that pluripotency assays are best selected on the basis of intended downstream applications.
Project description:Here we perfomed the Teratoma assay for a normal human embryonic stem cell line (H9(+Dox)), a human embryonic stem cell line with a mesendodermal differentiation bias (H9Hyb), a normal human induced pluripotent stem cell line (LU07), a human induced pluripotent stem cell line with reactivated transgenes (LU07+Dox) and a human embryonal carcinoma cell line (EC) and anayzed their gene expression. The ability to form teratomas in vivo containing multiple somatic cell types is regarded as functional evidence of pluripotency for human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Since the Teratoma assay is animal-dependent, laborious and only qualitative, the PluriTest and the hPSC ScoreCard assay have been developed as in vitro alternatives. Here we compared normal hPSCs, induced hPSCs (hiPSCs) with reactivated reprogramming transgenes and human embryonal carcinoma (hEC) cells in these assays. While normal hPSCs gave rise to typical teratomas, the xenografts of the hEC cells and the hiPSCs with reactivated reprogramming transgenes were largely undifferentiated and malignant. The hPSC ScoreCard assay confirmed the line-specific differentiation propensities in vitro. However, when undifferentiated cells were analysed with PluriTest only hEC cells were identified as abnormal whereas all other cell lines were indistinguishable and resembled normal hPSCs. Our results indicate that pluripotency assays are best selected on the basis of intended downstream applications.
Project description:Human pluripotent stem cell derived muscle models show great potential for translational research. Here, we describe novel developmentally inspired methods for the derivation of skeletal muscle cells and their utility in three-dimensional skeletal muscle organoid formation as well as skeletal muscle tissue engineering. Three-dimensional organoid and tissue engineered models exhibit organotypic maturation and function and regenerative responses, recapitulating canonical properties of bona fide skeletal muscle in vivo. Key steps include the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to embryonic muscle progenitors of hypaxial origin followed by primary and secondary fetal myogenesis with development of a satellite cell pool and evidence for innervation in vitro. Regenerative competency was demonstrated in a cardiotoxin injury model with evidence for satellite cell activation as underlying mechanism.
Project description:Three parthenogenetic induced pluripotent stem cell (PgHiPSCs) lines were generated from each of the ovarian teratoma cell lines (two distinct individuals). Two normal iPS cell lines were generated from normal fibroblasts. Three biological replicates of normal embryonic stem cells (H9, HESCs) were perfomed. We used microarrays to study the gene expression profiles of the PgHiPSCs, and compared the expression of genes to both embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell, to identify paternally expressed genes that are down-regulated in the PgHiPSC lines. All parthenogenetic and normal iPS cell lines, were tested for pluripotency assays (inclusing, morphology, immuno stanings and qRT-PCR for known pluripotency markers, differentiation capacity in vivo and in vitro)
Project description:Self-organisation of human pluripotent stem cells into three-dimensional model of post-implantation development, termed as embryonic organoids (hEO), recapitulates crucial features of human gastrulation and early neurulation. Transcriptional characterisation of hEO at different stages of development to study origin and specification of human primordial germ cells (PGCs), emergence of neuromesodermal progenitors (NMP), establishment of primary germ layers and their derivatives and appearance of neuronal precursors.
Project description:Teratoma formation is the gold standard assay for testing the capacity of human stem cells to differentiate into all embryonic germ layers. Although widely used, little effort has been made to transform this qualitative assay into a quantitative one. Using gene expression data from a wide variety of cells, we created a gene scorecard representing tissues from all three germ layers as well as an extraembryonic tissue. A calculated grade using this gene list successfully distinguishes pluripotent stem cell-initiated teratomas from malignant tumors, thereby translating cell potency into a quantitative measure. This new methodology, named TeratoScore, thus assesses the pluripotency of human cells, and is easily performed using an open-source code. The new teratoma database also allowed us to examine the gene expression differences between tumors with a diploid karyotype and those initiated by aneuploid cells. We found that while teratomas originating from aneuploid cells pass the TeratoScore benchmark for pluripotency, they exhibit aberrant gene expression congruent with human chromosomal syndromes (such as Down syndrome). This gene expression signature is significantly different from that of teratomas originating from diploid cells, particularly in central nervous system-specific genes, suggesting aberrant teratomas may be beneficial for in vivo disease modeling. Teratoma formation followed by TeratoScore analysis can rapidly assess cell potency and allows comparison between different pluripotent cell lines.
Project description:Multilineage differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into three-dimensional (3-D) model, termed as progressed elongated embryoid bodies (peEBs), recapitulates crucial features of early human development, including cardio myogenesis and haematopoiesis. Characterisation of peEBs at transcriptome and protein levels at different stages of development to study embryonic haematopoiesis and endothelial-to-hematopoietic-transition (EHT) in vitro.
Project description:Defining molecular controls that orchestrate human brain development is essential for uncovering the complexity behind neurodevelopment and the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. Due to the difficulties in accessing embryonic and fetal brain tissues, the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived three-dimensional neural organoids has made it possible to recapitulate this developmental process in vitro and provide a unique opportunity to investigate human brain development and disease. To elucidate the molecular programs that drive this highly dynamic process, here, we generate a comprehensive trans-omic map of the phosphoproteome, proteome, and transcriptome of the initial stages of pluripotency and neural differentiation towards the formation of cerebral organoids. Our integrative analysis uncovers key phospho-signalling events underlying neural lineage differentiation, and their convergence on transcriptional (co-)factors and chromatin remodellers that govern downstream gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Comparative analysis with developing human and mouse embryos using these GRNs demonstrates the fidelity of our early cerebral organoids in modelling embryonic brain development. Finally, we demonstrate biochemical modulation of the AKT signalling as a key molecular switch for controlling human cerebral organoid formation. Our data provides a comprehensive resource to gain insight into the molecular controls in human embryonic brain development and also provide a guide for future development of protocols for human cerebral organoid differentiation.
Project description:Teratoma formation is the gold standard assay for testing the capacity of human stem cells to differentiate into all embryonic germ layers. Although widely used, little effort has been made to transform this qualitative assay into a quantitative one. Using gene expression data from a wide variety of cells, we created a gene scorecard representing tissues from all three germ layers as well as an extraembryonic tissue. A calculated grade using this gene list successfully distinguishes pluripotent stem cell-initiated teratomas from malignant tumors, thereby translating cell potency into a quantitative measure. This new methodology, named TeratoScore, thus assesses the pluripotency of human cells, and is easily performed using an open-source code. The new teratoma database also allowed us to examine the gene expression differences between tumors with a diploid karyotype and those initiated by aneuploid cells. We found that while teratomas originating from aneuploid cells pass the TeratoScore benchmark for pluripotency, they exhibit aberrant gene expression congruent with human chromosomal syndromes (such as Down syndrome). This gene expression signature is significantly different from that of teratomas originating from diploid cells, particularly in central nervous system-specific genes, suggesting aberrant teratomas may be beneficial for in vivo disease modeling. Teratoma formation followed by TeratoScore analysis can rapidly assess cell potency and allows comparison between different pluripotent cell lines. Total RNA was extracted from hPSC (diploid or aneuploid)-derived teratomas using RNeasy mini kit (Qiagen), according to the manufacture instruction. RNA was subjected to Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 microarray platform (Affymetrix); washing and scanning were performed according to the manufacturer’s protocol