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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: May 21, 2026

Enumeration of Neural Stem Cells Using Clonal Assays

Enumeration of Neural Stem Cells Using Clonal Assays

Published on: October 4, 2016

Clonal neural stem cells from human embryonic stem cell colonies.

Radha Chaddah¹, Margot Arntfield, Susan Runciman

¹Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E1, Canada. radhac@sympatico.ca

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience

|June 8, 2012

Summary

Researchers developed a method for clonal expansion of neural stem cells (NSCs) from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). This technique enables the isolation and growth of pure neural precursor cells, crucial for cell therapies.

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Published on: November 30, 2006

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Last Updated: May 21, 2026

Enumeration of Neural Stem Cells Using Clonal Assays

Enumeration of Neural Stem Cells Using Clonal Assays

Published on: October 4, 2016

Generation of Neural Stem Cells from Discarded Human Fetal Cortical Tissue

Generation of Neural Stem Cells from Discarded Human Fetal Cortical Tissue

Published on: May 25, 2011

Propagation of Human Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells

Propagation of Human Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells

Published on: November 30, 2006

Area of Science:

Stem cell biology
Neuroscience
Developmental biology

Background:

Clonal cell culture is essential for obtaining pure cell populations in research.
Deriving neural progenitors from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) at high densities can result in incomplete differentiation and tumorigenic cell mixtures.
Identifying and isolating specific neural precursors is critical for controlled cell differentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and isolate a specific neural precursor cell from hESC colonies.
To develop a method for the clonal expansion of these precursors into neural stem cells (NSCs) under serum-free conditions.
To establish a scalable method for generating clinical-grade NSCs.

Main Methods:

Identification of a TRA-1-60(-)/SSEA4(-)/SOX1(+) neural precursor cell within hESC colonies.
Isolation of these precursor cells using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).
Clonal expansion of isolated cells in serum-free media with BMP signaling inhibition.

Main Results:

A method was developed to clonally expand TRA-1-60(-)/SSEA4(-)/SOX1(+) neural precursors into multipotent NSCs.
The efficiency of generating NSCs from single precursor cells was 0.7% under serum-free conditions.
BMP signaling inhibition was found to specify the fate of these neural precursors.

Conclusions:

A novel clonal culture method for neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has been established.
This method allows for the isolation and expansion of specific neural precursors, yielding pure NSC populations.
The scalable production of NSCs via this method holds promise for cell therapies and regenerative medicine.