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Human embryonic stem cell derivation from poor-quality embryos

Nature Biotechnology volume 26, pages 212–214 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

During in vitro fertilization, embryos deemed clinically useless based on poor morphology are typically discarded. Here we demonstrate a statistical correlation between the developmental stage of such poor-quality embryos and the yield of human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines. Early-arrested or highly fragmented embryos only rarely yield cell lines, whereas those that have achieved blastocyst stage are a robust source of normal hES cells.

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Figure 1: (a) Representative day-3 poor-quality embryos.

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Acknowledgements

This work was made possible through the generosity and vision of Joshua and Anita Bekenstein, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Children's Hospital Boston. G.Q.D. is a recipient of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research. T.A.I. was supported by grants from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.

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Author notes

  1. Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Karp Family Research Building 7214, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Newborn Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital and Children's Hospital Boston, Karp Family Research Building 7214, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Paul H Lerou

  2. Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Akiko Yabuuchi, Hongguang Huo & Ayumu Takeuchi

  3. Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Jessica Shea

  4. Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Tina Cimini, Elizabeth Ginsburg & Catherine Racowsky

  5. Division of Women's and Perinatal Pathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Tan A Ince

  6. Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Karp Family Research Building 7214, 300 Longwood Avenue, Massachusetts, 02115, USA

    George Q Daley

  7. Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Karp Family Research Building 7214, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Paul H Lerou, Akiko Yabuuchi, Hongguang Huo & Ayumu Takeuchi

Authors
  1. Paul H Lerou
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  2. Akiko Yabuuchi
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  4. Ayumu Takeuchi
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  5. Jessica Shea
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  6. Tina Cimini
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  7. Tan A Ince
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  8. Elizabeth Ginsburg
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  9. Catherine Racowsky
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  10. George Q Daley
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Contributions

P.H.L., A.Y., project planning, experimental work, preparation of manuscript; H.H., A.T., J.S., experimental work; T.C., research coordinator at clinical site; T.A.I., interpretation of teratoma pathology; E.G., C.R., G.Q.D., project planning, preparation of manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Q Daley.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Text and Figures

Supplementary Figures 1–14, Tables 1–2, Methods (PDF 3357 kb)

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Cite this article

Lerou, P., Yabuuchi, A., Huo, H. et al. Human embryonic stem cell derivation from poor-quality embryos. Nat Biotechnol 26, 212–214 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1378

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1378

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