Description
Stem cell-derived tissues have wide potential for modelling developmental and pathological processes as well as cell-based therapy. However, it has proven difficult to generate several key cell types in vitro, including skeletal muscle. In vertebrates, skeletal muscles derive during embryogenesis from the presomitic mesoderm (PSM). Using PSM development as a guide, we establish conditions for the differentiation of monolayer cultures of human pluripotent stem (hPSC) cells into PSM-like cells without the introduction of transgenes or cell sorting. We differentiated human PSCs in serum-free medium supplemented with Chir99021 only (C medium) or with also the Bmp inhibitor LDN193189 (CL medium). In vivo, the PSM cells are first expressing MSGN1 (posterior PSM marker) and then mature to express Pax3 (anterior PSM marker). After 4-5 days of differentiation of hPSCs, MSGN1-positive cells were FACS-sorted and their transcriptome analyzed.