Editor's Summary

12 July 2007

A new type of stem cell

Human embryonic stem (ES) cells are potentially important in therapy because they are pluripotent, capable of differentiating into virtually any cell type given appropriate encouragement. One obstacle to progress in research on them has been the baffling differences between human and mouse ES cells. Now two groups working independently have created a new kind of pluripotent ES cell. Derived from mouse embryos after they implant in the wall of the uterus, these EpiSCs (epiblast stem cells) are distinct from 'classic' mouse ES cells and mirror key features of human ES cells. The discovery of EpiSCs should provide an important experimental model to accelerate the use of human ES cells in research and eventually perhaps, in therapy.

Letter: Derivation of pluripotent epiblast stem cells from mammalian embryos

I. Gabrielle M. Brons, Lucy E. Smithers, Matthew W. B. Trotter, Peter Rugg-Gunn, Bowen Sun, Susana M. Chuva de Sousa Lopes, Sarah K. Howlett, Amanda Clarkson, Lars Ahrlund-Richter, Roger A. Pedersen & Ludovic Vallier

doi:10.1038/nature05950

First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (666K) | Supplementary information

Letter: New cell lines from mouse epiblast share defining features with human embryonic stem cells

Paul J. Tesar, Josh G. Chenoweth, Frances A. Brook, Timothy J. Davies, Edward P. Evans, David L. Mack, Richard L. Gardner & Ronald D. G. McKay

doi:10.1038/nature05972

First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (589K) | Supplementary information