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Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

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.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...

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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Robust Generation of Hepatocyte-like Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cell Populations

Robust Generation of Hepatocyte-like Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cell Populations

Published on: October 26, 2011

Generation of human embryonic stem cells.

Teija Peura¹, Julia Schaft, Biljana Dumevska

¹Sydney IVF, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology

|March 15, 2011

Summary

This study details the process of deriving human embryonic stem cell lines from early human embryos. It covers key steps like blastocyst culture, zona pellucida removal, and inner cell mass isolation for stem cell generation.

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Last Updated: Jun 3, 2026

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Published on: October 26, 2011

Generation of Human Primordial Germ Cell-like Cells at the Surface of Embryoid Bodies from Primed-pluripotency Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Generation of Human Primordial Germ Cell-like Cells at the Surface of Embryoid Bodies from Primed-pluripotency Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Published on: January 11, 2019

Generation of Integration-free Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Using Episomal Vectors

Generation of Integration-free Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Using Episomal Vectors

Published on: January 1, 2017

Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Stem Cell Biology
Reproductive Medicine

Background:

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) hold significant potential for regenerative medicine and disease modeling.
Establishing reliable methods for hESC derivation is crucial for advancing research in these fields.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe the detailed methodology for generating human embryonic stem cell lines from early human embryos.
To provide a protocol focusing on the critical steps of embryo handling and initial outgrowth culture.

Main Methods:

Culture of human embryos to the blastocyst stage.
Removal of the zona pellucida.
Isolation of the inner cell mass (ICM).
Plating of ICM or whole embryo for outgrowth.
Initial passaging of embryonic outgrowths.

Main Results:

Successful derivation of early embryonic outgrowths suitable for stem cell line establishment.
Demonstration of alternative procedures for zona removal and ICM isolation.
Focus on the practical handling of embryos and outgrowths.

Conclusions:

The described methods provide a foundational protocol for human embryonic stem cell line generation.
Flexibility in procedures allows adaptation to specific laboratory conditions.
This unit serves as a guide for researchers involved in hESC derivation.