DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

摘要

The present invention provides methods to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells and the products related to or resulting from such methods. In particular, the present invention provides an improved method for the formation of pancreatic hormone expressing cells and pancreatic hormone secreting cells. In addition, the present invention also provides methods to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells without the use of a feeder cell layer and the products related to or resulting from such methods. The present invention also provides methods to promote glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in insulin-producing cells derived from pluripotent stem cells.

主权项

1. A method for producing cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endoderm lineage, comprising the steps of:
a. Culturing the pluripotent stem cells, b. Differentiating the pluripotent stem cells into cells expressing markers characteristic of the definitive endoderm lineage, and c. Differentiating the cells expressing markers characteristic of the definitive endoderm lineage into cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endoderm lineage by treating the cells expressing markers characteristic of the definitive endoderm lineage with at least one factor selected from the group consisting of retinoic acid, FGF-2, FGF-4, FGF-7, FGF-10, a sonic hedgehog inhibitor, a factor capable of inhibiting BMP, and a netrin.