ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we will focus on several fundamental issues in stem cell biology and on the potential application of stem cells in cardiovascular disease.
Methods for Establishing Embryonic Stem Cell Lines There are several ways to isolate and establish ESC lines for cardiovascular research. After an oocyte has been fertilized in vitro by a sperm cell, the following events occur according to a fairly predictable timeline. Day 1 ends 18-24 hours after fertilization of the oocyte. By day 2, the zygote (fertilized egg) has undergone its first cleavage, producing a 2-cell embryo. By the end of day 3 (72 hours), the embryo has reached the 8-cell stage and is called a morula. At this stage, the embryo’s development starts being controlled by its own genome. This means that maternal influences – due to the presence of mRNA and proteins in the oocyte cytoplasm – are significantly reduced. On day 4, the cells of the embryo adhere tightly to each other in a process known as compaction, and on day 5, the cavity of the blastocyst is completed.1
