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Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.

Determination

Determination

During embryogenesis, cells become progressively committed to different fates through a two-step process: specification followed by determination. Specification is demonstrated by removing a segment of an early embryo, “neutrally” culturing the tissue in vitro—for example, in a petri dish with simple medium—and then observing the derivatives. If the cultured region gives rise to cell types that it would normally generate in the embryo, this means that it is specified. In contrast, determination...

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The development of all multicellular organisms starts with the fusion of haploid cells called sperm and egg to form a diploid zygote. A zygote is a totipotent cell that can develop into a complete organism. The zygote undergoes cell division or cleavage to form an 8-cell mass. Until this stage, the cells are spherical, loosely attached, and remain totipotent. Totipotent cells are capable of developing both the embryonic and the extraembryonic tissues. However, as they continue to divide, they...

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Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
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The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...

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How does a complex organism such as a human develop from a single cell? It all starts from a single fertilized egg which gives rise to a vast array of cell types, such as nerve cells, muscle cells, and epithelial cells that characterize the adult? Throughout development and adulthood, cellular differentiation leads cells to assume their final morphology and physiology. Differentiation is the process by which unspecialized cells become specialized to carry out distinct functions.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 24, 2026

Blastomere Explants to Test for Cell Fate Commitment During Embryonic Development

Blastomere Explants to Test for Cell Fate Commitment During Embryonic Development

Published on: January 26, 2013

Embryonic development: a new SPN on cell fate specification.

Jean-Claude Labbé¹, Bob Goldstein

¹Department of Biology, CB3280, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 616 Fordham Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.

Current Biology : CB

|June 14, 2002

Summary

The Caenorhabditis elegans spn-4 gene

Area of Science:

Developmental biology
Genetics
Molecular biology

Background:

Embryonic polarity is crucial for establishing cell fate.
Mechanisms linking polarity to cell fate specification are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of the Caenorhabditis elegans spn-4 gene.
To elucidate the molecular mechanisms connecting embryonic polarity and cell fate specification.

Main Methods:

Gene identification and characterization in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Analysis of spn-4 gene function in developmental processes.

Main Results:

The Caenorhabditis elegans spn-4 gene has been identified and characterized.
spn-4 plays a role in linking embryonic polarity to cell fate specification.

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Conclusions:

The characterization of spn-4 provides new insights into developmental mechanisms.
spn-4 is a key factor in the polarity-dependent cell fate determination pathway.