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Growth Factors in Stem Cell Biology

Stem cell biology researchers use suitable growth factors to trigger proliferation, differentiation and/or migration of stem cells. Embryonic pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into three germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm) and unlimited capacity for self-renewal1,2. The ethical issues around the use of embryonic stem cells led to the introduction of induced pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs. In the presence of growth factors, iPSCs differentiate into majority of the progenitor cells required for development (Table 1). Therefore, the role of growth factors in differentiation of iPSCs provides an avenue for creating an unlimited supply of embryonic-like stem cells (Figure 1).

Stem Cell differentiation

Figure 1.iPSCs differentiate into majority of the progenitor cells required for development in the presence of Growth Factors

Product NoNameExpressed inFunction
SRP6153Activin A humanHuman cellsMesodermal induction; neural cell differentiation
A1729Activin B humanCHO
SRP6156BMP-4 humanHEK 293Bone formation; induction of ventral mesoderm
E9644E5036EGF humanE. coliGeneration of neural progenitors
SRP6253EGF humanHEK 293
F5542FGF-1 humanE. coliEmbryonic development; angiogenesis
F0291HBFGF-ROFGF-2 humanE. coli
SRP6160FGF-4 humanHuman cells
SRP6161FGF-7 humanE. coli
F8924FGF-10 humanE. coli
H9661HGF humanNSOGeneration of liver progenitors
SRP6014HGF humanCHO
SRP6166HGF humanHEK 293
SRP6171IL-3 humanHEK 293Generation of liver, cardiac, hematopoietic progenitors
H7416SCU0001IL-6 humanHEK 293
SRP3072IL-11 humanE. coli
N17001Noggin humanHEK 293Generation of pancreas progenitors
SRP6296PDGF humanHEK 293Generation of mesenchymal progenitors
H8416SCF humanHEK 293Generation of hematopoietic progenitors
T703911412272001TGF-b1 humanCHOMaintenance and differentiation of embryonic stem cells and somatic stem cells
V7259SRP3182VEGF humanE. coliGeneration of cardiac and hematopoietic progenitors
SRP4754Wnt-1 humanE. coliTissue homeostasis, tissue patterning and cell fate
SRP6560Wnt-2 humanE. coli
GF154Wnt-3a mouseE. coli
GF146Wnt-5a mouseE. coli
SRP3296Wnt-7a humanHEK 293
Table 1Growth Factors for stem cell research

Stem cell research is controlled by physical and biochemical cues that direct them to become the specialized cells that make up the tissues in the body. Stem cell research is enhancing our understanding of how growth factors (biochemical cues) affect stem cell expansion and differentiation. This will enable subsequent use of stem cells in cell-based therapies, drug development, and disease modeling.

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Neural stem cell differentiation

Figure 2.This image shows cells derived from the culture of neural stem cells grown in the presence of EGF (E9644) and LIF (L5283). The cells were expanded in neural stem cell expansion medium (S3194) and then moved to conditions to allow them to differentiate. Differentiated cells were fixed and stained with an antibody for GFAP (an astrocyte marker in green, Product Number G9269). Actin is labeled with TRITC phalloidin (P1951) and the nuclei are labeled with DAPI (D8417).

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References

1.
Yu J, Thomson JA. 2008. Pluripotent stem cell lines. Genes & Development. 22(15):1987-1997. https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.1689808
2.
Yin PT, Han E, Lee K. 2016. Engineering Stem Cells for Biomedical Applications. Adv. Healthcare Mater.. 5(1):10-55. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.201400842
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