Pedigreed primate embryonic stem cells express homogeneous familial gene profiles

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) hold great biomedical promises, but experiments comparing them produce heterogeneous results, raising concerns regarding their reliability and utility, although these variations may result from their disparate and anonymous origin. To determine whether primate ESCs, have intrinsic biological limitations compared with mouse ESCs, we examined expressions profiles and pluripotency of newly established nonhuman primate ESC pluripotency of newly established nonhuman primate ESC (nhpESCs). Ten pedigreed nhpESC lines, seven full siblings (fraternal quadruplets and fraternal triplets), and nine half siblings were derived from 41 rhesus embryos; derivation success correleted with embryo quality. Each time line has been growing continuously for similar to 1 year with stable diploid karyo-type (except for one stable trisomy) and eight have already formed teratomas. Unlike the heterogeneous gene expressions profiles found among hESCs, these nhpESCs display remarkably homogeneous profiles (>97%), with full-sibling lines nearly identical (>98.2%). Female nhpESCs express genes distinct from their brother lines; these sensitive analyses are enabled because of the very low background differences. Experimental comparisons among these primate ESCs may prove more mental comaparisons among these primate ESCs, since they are akin to inbred mouse strains in which genetic variables are also nearly eliminated. Finally, contrasting the biological similarities among these lines with the heterogeneous hESCs might suggest that additional, more uniform hESCs lines are justified. taken together, pedigreed primate ESCs display homogenously and reliable expressions profiles. These similarities to mouse ESC suggest that the heterogeneities found among hESCs likely result from their disparate origins rather than intrisic bilogical limitations with primate embryonic system cells.