Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells to Lympho-Hematopoietic Lineages in Vitro

Abstract

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can differentiate in culture to late stages of many cell lineages. I have found culture conditions that are favorable for development in vitro of ES cells into hematopoietic cells at a stage equivalent to day 11-14 of fetal liver development. I describe here: (1) the growth conditions necessary for maintenance of ES cells in an undifferentiated state, and the conditions that allow differentiation of cystic embryoid bodies that contain precursors of most hematopoietic cell lineages, including lymphoid cells; (2) the development of lymphoid vessels from ES fetuses in vivo; (3) the characterization of lymphoid, erythroid, megakaryoid, and myeloid cells from ES fetuses; and (4) the cloning of cell lines representing lymphoid, myeloid lineage cells from differentiated ES cells. © 1992, Harwood Academic Publishers GmbH.