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EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

Efficient Induction of Oligodendrocytes from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

^aDepartment of Physiology,
^bBrain Korea 21st Project for Medical Science,
^hCenter for Cell Therapy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea;
^cR&D Center, Jeil Pharmaceutical Company, Yongin, Korea;
^dDivision of Molecular & Life Sciences, College of Science & Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Korea;
^eLaboratory of Electron Microscope, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea;
^fDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
^gInstitute of Reproductive Medicine and Population, Medical Research Center, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Key Words. Embryonic stem cells • Differentiation • Oligodendrocytes • Myelination • Central nervous system disorders

Correspondence: Dong-Wook Kim, Ph.D., Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea, Telephone: 82-2-2228-1703; Fax: 82-2-393-0203; e-mail: dwkim2{at}yumc.yonsei.ac.kr

Received on September 30, 2005; accepted for publication on October 11, 2006.

First published online in STEM CELLS EXPRESS  October 19, 2006.


Oligodendrocytes form myelin sheaths around axons to support rapid nerve conduction in the central nervous system (CNS). Damage to myelin can cause severe CNS disorders. In this study, we attempted to devise a protocol for the induction of oligodendrocytes from human embryonic stem (ES) cells to treat demyelinated axons. Four days after embryoid body formation, human ES cells were differentiated into neural precursors through selection and expansion procedures. Neural precursors were then grown in the presence of epidermal growth factor and then platelet-derived growth factor to generate oligodendrocyte precursor cells. After withdrawal of the growth factors, the cells were treated with thyroid hormone to induce differentiation into oligodendrocytes. This method resulted in 81%–91% oligodendrocyte precursor cells and 81% oligodendrocytes among total cells. The ability of the oligodendrocyte precursors to myelinate axons has been verified by coculturing with rat hippocampal neurons, confirming their biological functionality.

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