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Formation of human prostate tissue from embryonic stem cells

Nature Methods volume 3, pages 179–181 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Rodent models and immortalized or genetically modified cell lines are frequently used—but have limited utility—for studying human prostate development and maturation. Using rodent mesenchyme to establish reciprocal mesenchymal-epithelial cell interactions with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), we generated human prostate tissue expressing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) within 8–12 weeks. This human prostate model shows species-conserved signalling mechanisms that could extend to integumental, gastrointestinal and genital tissues.

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Figure 1: Formation of prostate tissue from hESCs by tissue recombination with UGM or SVM.
Figure 2: Maturation of prostate derived from SVM + hESC after 8–12 weeks growth in intact male hosts.

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Hayward for insightful discussions, and M. Richards and H. Wang for skilled technical assistance. This project was funded by the US Army Department of Defence, Prostate Cancer Research Program (PC020733) to G.P.R. and Perpetual Trustee Company Limited.

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Author notes

  1. Renea A Taylor and Prue A Cowin: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Urological Research, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, 27-31 Wright Street, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia

    Renea A Taylor, Prue A Cowin & Gail P Risbridger

  2. Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories, STRIP 1, West Ring Road, Monash University, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia

    Renea A Taylor & Alan O Trounson

  3. Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, 94143, California, USA

    Gerald R Cunha

  4. Australian Stem Cell Centre, P.O. Box 8002, Monash University LPO, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia

    Martin Pera

  5. TissuPath Laboratories, 165 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, 3122, Victoria, Australia

    John Pedersen

Authors
  1. Renea A Taylor
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  2. Prue A Cowin
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  3. Gerald R Cunha
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  4. Martin Pera
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  5. Alan O Trounson
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  6. John Pedersen
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  7. Gail P Risbridger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gail P Risbridger.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Fig. 1

Glandular regression of prostate tissues derived from SVM + hESC following androgen withdrawal by castration. (PDF 170 kb)

Supplementary Table 1

The proportion of glandular tissue expressing PSA in tissue recombinants following 8-12 weeks growth in vivo. (PDF 87 kb)

Supplementary Methods (PDF 122 kb)

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Taylor, R., Cowin, P., Cunha, G. et al. Formation of human prostate tissue from embryonic stem cells. Nat Methods 3, 179–181 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth855

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