Embryonic Stem Cells and Fetal Development Models

Pluripotent stem cells possess the unique capacity to proliferate indefinitely in culture and to differentiate into cells of the three germ layers, the endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm. These important features render pluripotent stem cells ideal for both, basic studies in developmental biology and biomedical research in farm animals. Pluripotent cells can serve as a valuable tool for complex genetic modifications with the goal to improve production traits, disease resistance or for the creation of human disease models. The domestic pig shares many genetic, anatomical and physiological similarities with humans and thus has emerged as a particularly suitable model for the creation of human disease models and the development of novel stem cell therapies. Porcine germ line competent pluripotent stem cell lines have not yet been established, neither from early embryos (embryonic stem cells), nor from fetuses (fetal stem cells) or adult tissue (adult stem cells). Here, we review the progress made in the derivation and characterization of pluripotent stem cell lines from pigs.