Embryonic Stem Cell Culture and Differentiation

Overview

Culturing embryonic stem (ES) cells requires conditions that maintain these cells in an undifferentiated state to preserve their capacity for self-renewal and pluripotency. Stem cell biologists are continuously optimizing methods to improve the efficiency of ES cell culture, and are simultaneously trying to direct the differentiation of ES cells into specific cell types that could be used in regenerative medicine.

This video describes the basic principles of ES cell culture, and demonstrates a general protocol to grow and passage ES cells. We also take a closer look at the hanging drop method, which is used to differentiate ES cells. Finally, this video will describe a few applications of ES cell culture and differentiation techniques, including a method used to generate functional heart muscle cells in vitro.

Procedure

Embryonic stem cells, or ES cells, have a number of unique properties that distinguish them from regular adult cells. Therefore, scientists have devised special culturing techniques to maintain or take advantage of these properties. When cultured properly, ES cells can divide indefinitely to make more of themselves. At the same time, by altering the culturing conditions, ES cells can be directed to differentiate into almost any cell type found in our body; this ability of ES cells is called "pluripotency."

In thi