New Insights into Early Human Development: Lessons for Stem Cell Derivation and Differentiation

Publication date: 5 January 2017
Source:Cell Stem Cell, Volume 20, Issue 1
Author(s): Janet Rossant, Patrick P.L. Tam
Pathways underlying mouse embryonic development have always informed efforts to derive, maintain, and drive differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. However, direct application of mouse embryology to the human system has not always been successful because of fundamental developmental differences between species. The naive pluripotent state of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), in particular, has been difficult to capture in human ESCs, and appears to be transitory in the human embryo itself. Further studies of human and non-human primate embryo development are needed to untangle the complexities of pluripotency networks across mammalian species.

Teaser

Direct comparisons between events of pre- and peri-implantation development in the human, as well as in non-human primates, and the mouse have highlighted numerous similarities and differences. Rossant and Tam summarize those findings and discuss their relevance to derivation of human pluripotent stem cells and their differentiation in vitro.


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