Non-Human Primate Embryonic Stem Cells

Non-human primate embryonic stem cells (ESCs) were first derived by James Thomson from in vivo–fertilized rhesus monkeys in 1995 and marmosets in 1996, before his 1998 breakthrough in developing human ESCs. Years later, they have also been isolated from cynomolgus monkeys. Gerald Shatten’s group reported several baboon embryonic stem cell lines in 2009.

The approaches to deriving and maintaining non-human primate ESCs are similar to those used for human ESCs. ESCs are artificially derived cells from blastocyst cells during in vitro fertilization procedure. After the sperm and egg are fused, the initial cell undergoes multiple divisions, which results in a cluster of cells called an inner cell mass and a surrounding outer trophoblast layer. When the inner cell mass is able to grow and passage under ...