Isolation and Cultivation of Goat Embryo Stem Cells
山羊胚胎干细胞的分离与培养

Morulaes and blastocysts obtained from Guanzhong dairy goats 6~7 days after mating were treated with whole embryo cultivaton, enzymatic digestion and immunosurgery separately. The goat embryonic stem cells (ESC) were isolated and cultured on a feeder layer of mitomycin-inactivated mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF). The characteristics of goat ESCs were analyzed by immunohistochemisty, RT-PCR and inducing differentiation in vitro. The results indicated that the embryos were easier to attach the culture dish and form primary colonies with whole embryo method. There were colonies that maintained undifferentiated for 18 passages. The ESCs expressed the protein of Nanog, Oct4 and SSEA-3, whereas the protein of SSEA-4 was absent and the protein of SSEA-1 was weakly expressed. In addition, the genes of Nanog, Oct4, TERT and CD117 were expressed in goat ESCs. The cells also could differentiate to myocardial cells when induced in vitro by DMSO. These results suggest that the goat ESCs have characteristics of ESCs.