Overview

Bone marrow stem cells are the most transplanted cells worldwide. These cells are used as a replacement therapy for patients suffering from a diverse number of hematopoietic diseases and immunodeficiencies. However, the use of bone marrow cells in regenerative medicine has so far remained without much success. In the new era of pluripotent stem cells, great opportunities for establishing new therapies have opened up. The discovery of human embryonic stem cells and that of induced pluripotent (iPS) stem cells has made it possible to derive any desired tissues for regenerative medicine as iPS cell derived cells are only limited by the lack of established protocols that can be applied in humans. There is no doubt that stem cells present a new and innovative platform for establishing novel cell based therapies. The challenge is to establish new protocols that allow the successful differentiation of these cells into lineage committed cells. Embryonic Stem Cell Immunobiology: Methods and Protocols covers a variety of relevant topics, such as hematopoietic stem cells derived from ES cells, the interaction of these cells with natural killer cells or with cytotoxic T cells, and specific protocols for the derivation of hematopoietic cells and neuronal cells, to name a few. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and accessible, Embryonic Stem Cell Immunobiology: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide to experts and non-experts interested in different aspects of stem cells.