Zhang PB, Li J, Wang CY, Tan ZJ, Liu T, Chen L, Yong J, Jiang W, Sun XM, Ding MX, and Deng HK*, Short-term BMP-4 treatment initiates mesoderm induction in human embryonic stem cells, BLOOD, 111(4):1933-41, 2008.

Abstract Human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) have unlimited self-renewal capacity and can differentiate into most, if not all, possible cell types. This unique property makes them valuable not only for investigation of early developmental processes, but also for regenerative medicine. Mesoderm-derived cardiac cells and hematopoietic cells both have the potential for various therapeutic applications. However, efficient induction of hES cell differentiation into mesoderm remains a challenge. Here, we showed that treatment of hES cells with bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) exhibited differential effects: long-term treatment results in trophoblast and extra-embryonic endoderm differentiation, whereas short-term treatment can promote early mesoderm induction. The induction of mesoderm in......