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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Efficient Neural Differentiation using Single-Cell Culture of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Published on: January 18, 2020
Astrocytogenesis of embryonic stem-cell-derived neural stem cells: Default differentiation
Takashi Nakayama1, Tomoaki Sai, Masahiro Otsu
1Department of Biochemistry, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan. nakayama@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
Abstract:
Neural stem cells differentiate from embryonic stem cells via formation of neural stem spheres under free-floating conditions in astrocyte-conditioned medium. Subsequent culture of neural stem spheres on an adhesive substrate with fibroblast growth factor-2 promotes the migration of neural stem cells onto the substrate, resulting in an increase in the number of cells. These embryonic stem cell-derived neural stem cells can be differentiated almost exclusively into astrocytes by withdrawing fibroblast growth factor-2 from the medium without any additional instructions.

