Monolayer endoderm differentiation from human ESCs

Abstract

When embryonic stem cells are differentiated in the presence of activin A in serum-free conditions, an endoderm progenitor population defined by the coexpression of either Brachyury, Foxa2 and c-Kit, or c-Kit and Cxcr4 is generated. Specification of these progenitors with bone morphogenetic protein-4 in combination with basic fibroblast growth factor and activin A results in the development of hepatic populations highly enriched (45–70%) for cells that express the alpha-fetoprotein and albumin proteins.