Derivation of neural precursors from bovine preimplantation embryos

Induction of neural differentiation from embryonic pluripotent stem cells (ES/EpiSc), both of mouse and primates, has been extensively published by several research teams. However, direct derivation of organized neuroectoderm in vitro from blastocyst stage embryos of rodents or primates has not been reported so far. Here we describe a method of direct neural differentiation from the inner cell mass cells of preimplantation bovine embryos, without the intermediate step of ES/EpiSc cells derivation (Lazzari et al., Stem cells 24:2514-2521, 2006). Proliferating neural precursors cells lines, and both central and peripheral nervous system derivatives, can be obtained providing a unique in vitro model of early neurulation events in mammals.