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Human Embryonic Stem Cells — Realising the Potential

  • Chapter
Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells, and Gene Therapies

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 534))

Abstract

Murine embryonic stem (mES) cells are permanent tissue culture cell lines isolated from explanted blastocysts. mES cells share an unusual set of properties with the stem cells of germ cell tumours (EC cells). Both cell types can be cultured under conditions in which they cycle indefinitely, or in which they terminally differentiate into a variety of specialised cells. When undifferentiated mES or EC cells are returned to the preimplantation embryo they resume a normal programme of development and give rise to chimaeric animals. However, only mES cells give rise to germ-line contributions. In mice the importance of mES cells has been predominantly as a tool to effect very precise genetic changes in transgenic animals by manipulating mES cells in vitro prior to blastocyst injection. The differentiation of mES cells in vitro also gives rise to a wide range of differentiated cell types although this occurs in a much less organised manner than in the blastocyst. In vitro differentiation of mES cells suggests obvious therapeutic applications for ES cells in the treatment of degenerative and metabolic disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gene Expression and Development, Roslin Institute, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9PS, Scotland, UK

    Jim McWhir, Alison Thomson & Virginie Sottile

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  1. Jim McWhir
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  2. Alison Thomson
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  3. Virginie Sottile
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  1. Science Faculty and Biotechnology Institute, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

    Y. Murat Elçin

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McWhir, J., Thomson, A., Sottile, V. (2003). Human Embryonic Stem Cells — Realising the Potential. In: Elçin, Y.M. (eds) Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells, and Gene Therapies. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 534. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0063-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0063-6_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4907-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-0063-6

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