Cell Stem Cell
Volume 17, Issue 1, 2 July 2015, Pages 116-124
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Short Article
Generation of Cynomolgus Monkey Chimeric Fetuses using Embryonic Stem Cells

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2015.06.004Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Colony morphology of cynomolgus monkey ESCs is influenced by growth conditions

  • Cell properties and gene expression suggest a culture-induced naive-like state

  • Transplanted ESCs can contribute to chimeric blastocyst formation

  • Chimeric fetuses show evidence of contribution to all three germ layers

Summary

Because of their similarity to humans, non-human primates are important models for studying human disease and developing therapeutic strategies. Establishment of chimeric animals using embryonic stem cells (ESCs) could help with these investigations, but has not so far been achieved. Here, we show that cynomolgus monkey ESCs (cESCs) grown in adjusted culture conditions are able to incorporate into host embryos and develop into chimeras with contribution in all three germ layers and in germ cell progenitors. Under the optimized culture conditions, which are based on an approach developed previously for naive human ESCs, the cESCs displayed altered growth properties, gene expression profiles, and self-renewal signaling pathways, suggestive of an altered naive-like cell state. Thus our findings show that it is feasible to generate chimeric monkeys using ESCs and open up new avenues for the use of non-human primate models to study both pluripotency and human disease.

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