Derivation and maintenance of human embryonic stem cells.

Since their derivation in 1998, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been the center of tremendous scientific efforts in improve the existing methodologies for their isolation and maintenance to exhaust the potential use of these unique cells in cell-based therapy and developmental research. To date, there are more than 50 reported well-characterized hESC lines worldwide. hESCs are traditionally isolated from the blastocysts on mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The most used method for isolating the inner cell mass from the human blastocyst is immunosurgery. This chapter focuses on the basic methods for the derivation and maintenance of hESC lines.