Human embryonic stem cells . cell-based

Finally, lentiviral vectors have been shown to transduce human embryonic stem cells. Therefore, this type of gene-therapy vector might also be used in stem cell-based therapies. 

Adler S, Lindqvist J, Uddenberg K, et al. Testing potential developmental toxicants with a cytotoxicity assay based on human embryonic stem cells. Altern Lab Anim. 2008 36(2) 129-140. 

Colleoni S, Galli C, Caspar JA, Meganathan K, Jagtap S, Hescheler J, Sachinidis A, Lazzari G (2011) Development of a neural teratogenicity test based on human embryonic stem cells response to retinoic acid exposure. Toxicol Sci 124 370-377... 

Several projects and consortia were established in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, e.g., the Micro Array Quality Control (MAQC) project, led by US FDA, which main goal is to assess microarray study variability and to develop standards and quality measures for transcriptomics data [50, 51], Another research project, the human embryonic stem cell-derived novel alternative test systems (ESNATS) recently published a paper to address similar questions using human embryonic stem cell-based in vitro test systems for reproductive toxicity by transcriptomics analysis [52], The strong aspect of this study, that it transparently presents difficulties, such as batch effects, and provides analysis strategies including overrepresented transcription factors. It can be used as basis for further development of reproductive toxicity assays based on transcriptomics analysis. 

Xue T, Cho H C, Akar E G, et al. (2005). Eunctional integration of electrically active cardiac derivatives from genetically engineered human embryonic stem cells with quiescent recipient ventricular cardiomyocytes insights into the development of cell-based pacemakers. Circul. 111 11-20. 

Human-derived cellular models hold promises in PD modeling and drug discovery. Development of culture systems based on dopaminergic neurons derived from patients with the familial or sporadic PD may enable the discovery of new neuroprotective candidates to work synergistically with currently approved pharmacological therapies. Initial work in this field includes the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into neurons of dopaminergic identity [96]. 

A different approach has been investigated within the EU FP7 ESNATS project (www.esnats.eu FP7 2009-2013) that is the development of alternative tests based only on one single cell model, the embryonic stem cells (ES cells), taking advantage of their ability to mimic early embryo development and to differentiate in all three germ layers under specific differentiation protocols. The aim of the ESNATS project is to develop a novel all-in-one toxicity test platform, preferably based on human ES cells, to overcome interspecies variations. Several differentiation protocols have been optimized and adapted to the purpose of defining robust standard operation... 

Q. Xiong, K.L. Hill, Q. Li, P. Suntharahngam, A. Mansoor, X. Wang, et al., A fibrin patch-based enhanced delivery of human embryonic stem ceU-derived vascular ceU transplantation in a porcine model of postinfarction left ventricular remodeling. Stem Cells 29 (2011) 367-375, http //dx.doi.org/10.1002/stem.580. 

Singh Roy, N., Nakano, T., Xuing, L., Kang, J., Nedergaard, M., and Goldman, S. A. 2005. Enhancer-specified GFP-based FACS purification of human spinal motor neurons from embryonic stem cells. Exp Neurol, 196 224-34. 

Several sources have reported using stem cells including embryonic stem cells, adult liver progenitors, and transdifferentiated nonhepatic cells in cell-based thera-pies. Hepatocyte lineage in vitro has been reported in murine embryonic stem cells." It is apparent that hematopoietic stem cells can generate hepatocytes directly. This has been shown in rodent models and confirmed in humans by a study of recipients of bone marrow and liver transplants. ... 

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