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Improved Media Compositions for the Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Osteoblasts and Chondrocytes

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Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy for Osteo-Degenerative Diseases

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 690))

Abstract

Differentiation procedures leading to osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have been established and well upgraded over the past decade. Novel cell-culture conditions, signaling inducers, and chemical modifications of cellular environment have been found and optimized for use as steering or supporting modules in ESC differentiation.

While most of the novel studies of osteoblasts or chondrocytes differentiated from ESCs deal with their regenerative potential, the “childhood diseases” of basic differentiation have not yet been quite solved. Purification procedures are still facing a lack of exclusive markers for osteogenic progenitors and a collateral development of other cell types at the end points of differentiation that possibly lead to teratomas.

This chapter discusses the role of novel markers and inducers in osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, their effect on signaling pathways, particularly on that of Wnt/beta-catenin, and the time-specific manner of their action. We present an improved osteogenic differentiation protocol based on the hanging drop method and a time-optimized use of 1α,25-(OH)2 vitamin D3, all-trans retinoic acid, and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) with an end point efficiency increased up to 90% and a protocol for chondrogenic differentiation, which employs BMP-2 and transforming growth factor β1 as chondrogenic inducers, with 60% chondrogenic end point efficiency.

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Acknowledgment

NzN acknowledges the support of the German Ministry for Science, Education and Research (grant 0312314). NzN was funded through a postdoctoral fellowship from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research while developing the improved osteogenic protocol.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA

    Beatrice Kuske

  2. Department of Cell Therapy, Applied Stem Cell Technology Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany

    Vuk Savkovic & Nicole I. zur Nieden

  3. Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience and Stem Cell Center, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA

    Nicole I. zur Nieden

Authors
  1. Beatrice Kuske
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  2. Vuk Savkovic
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  3. Nicole I. zur Nieden
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicole I. zur Nieden .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, University of California at Riverside, University Ave. 900, Riverside, 92521, California, USA

    Nicole I. Nieden

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Kuske, B., Savkovic, V., zur Nieden, N.I. (2011). Improved Media Compositions for the Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Osteoblasts and Chondrocytes. In: Nieden, N. (eds) Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy for Osteo-Degenerative Diseases. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 690. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-962-8_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-962-8_14

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60761-961-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60761-962-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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