Generation of inner ear hair cells in vitro from mouse embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are key tools for genetic engineering and development of stem cell-based therapies. The investigation of ESCs pluripotency and early lineage commitment is an essential precondition for its translational use. In this study, we explored the ability of mouse ESC to differentiate into inner ear hair cell lineages. Mouse embryonic stem cells (E14TG2A) were cultured on primary embryonic mouse fibroblasts (PMEF), and induced by successive steps with EGF and IGF-1 for 10 days to establish the formation of embryoid bodies (EBs), and then treated with bFGF for 8 days to induce potential inner ear hair cells. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunofluorescence analysis were performed, which demonstrated that presence and significant increased expression of the specific biomarkers for inner ear hair cells, Espin, myosin VIIa, Math1, α9 AchR proteins in the induced lineages. Our study provided the evidences that mESCs can be driven to express key genes in the development of inner ear hair cells and thereby promotes their status as candidate for regenerative therapies.