In Vitro Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells after Activation by Retinoic Acid

• Published in: Human cell : official journal of Human Cell Research Society Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 178 - 182
• Main Authors: KAWAMORTTA, Makiko, SUZUKI, Chigusa, SATTO, Goichi, SATO, Tsuneo, SATO, Kahei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-08-2002
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Culture Media; Embryo, Mammalian - cytology; Embryoid body; Embryonic stem cell; Eye - embryology; Eye morphogenesis; Mice - embryology; Morphogenesis - drug effects; Retinoic acid; Stem Cells - cytology; Stimulation, Chemical; Tretinoin - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0914-7470; 1749-0774
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-0774.2002.tb00112.x

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts. ES cells are able to differentiate into the three primitive layers (endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm) of the organism, including the germline. In recent reports mouse ES cells have been successfully applied in the treatment of spinal cord injury, hereditary myelin disorder of the central nervous system, and diabetes mellitus. In this study, we investigated the induction of mouse ES cell differentiation, using culture of embryoid bodies (EBs) into the diverse tissues. EBs were formed by culturing ES cells (129/SV strain) in DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS, in the absence of feeder cells and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). EBs were induced to differentiate by treatment with retinoic acid (RA). In control medium (non‐RA medium) beating muscles, blood vessels, hemocytes, and cartilages were frequently observed in EBs. Moreover, when EBs were cultured in medium including RA (5 times 10‐8 M, and 5 times 10‐9 M), differentiation of the optic vesicle, lens, retina, and neural groove was observed. In this study we demonstrated that an efficient system for inducing the differentiation of ES cells using EBs.