哺乳动物胚胎干细胞研究进展

Mammalian Embryo Stem Cell Research Progress

胚胎性干细胞包括从动物早期胚胎的卵裂球、囊胚内细胞团细胞分离建系的胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cell,ESC)、从胚胎生殖嵴原始生殖细胞(primordial germ cell,PGC)分离建系的胚胎生殖细胞(embryonic germ cell,EGC)和来源于畸胎瘤中的胚胎性癌细胞(embryonic carcinoma cell,ECC)。ESC具有发育分化的多潜能性和无限的自我更新能力,能在体外长期培养并具有向机体各种组织细胞分化的潜能。所以,被广泛应用于胚胎发育与细胞分化调控的研究,作为修复器官与器官移植的种子细胞,并可用于转基因动物的生产。作者主要综述了干细胞的最新研究进展,ESC培养扩增诱导机制,定向分化方法。

The term ＂stem cells＂ was first proposed by a Russian scientist at a congress in Berlin in 1908. Stem cells have the characteristics of self-renewal, and differentiation into any type of cells or tissues. Stem cells can be classified into embryo stem cells or adult stem cells or somatic stem cells, the later are undifferentiated cells （stem cells） found in the body after born. They multiply by cell division to replenish damaged cells or tissue in the body. Stem cells can also be categorized by their sources, for instance, embryonic stem cells from early embryos, hematopoietic stem cells from bone marrow, and cancer stem cells, and more recently induced pluripotent stem （iPS） cells. From their sources and ability to self-renew and differentiate, to date, embryonic stem cells are still considered as the best or most popular stem cells. This review will highlight the progress and findings in stem cell research with a focus on embryo stem cells, their directed differentiation and the mechanisms of the induction.