Methods for the Isolation and Maintenance of Murine Embryonic Stem Cells -- The Use of Chemically Defined Media for the Analyses of Early Development in ES Cells and Mouse Embryos -- Analysis of the Cell Cycle in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells -- Murine Embryonic Stem Cells as a Model for Stress Proteins and Apoptosis During Differentiation -- Effects of Altered Gene Expression on ES Cell Differentiation -- Hypoxic Gene Regulation in Differentiating ES Cells -- Regulation of Gap Junction Protein (Connexin) Genes and Function in Differentiating ES Cells -- Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation as a Model to Study Hematopoietic and Endothelial Cell Development -- Analysis of Bcr-Abl Function Using an In Vitro Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation System -- Embryonic Stem Cells as a Model for Studying Osteoclast Lineage Development -- Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells as a Model to Study Gene Function During the Development of Adipose Cells -- Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation and the Vascular Lineage -- Embryonic Stem Cells as a Model to Study Cardiac, Skeletal Muscle, and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation -- Cardiomyocyte Enrichment in Differentiating ES Cell Cultures: Strategies and Applications -- Embryonic Stem Cells as a Model for the Physiological Analysis of the Cardiovascular System -- Isolation of Lineage-Restricted Neural Precursors from Cultured ES Cells -- Lineage Selection for Generation and Amplification of Neural Precursor Cells -- Selective Neural Induction from ES Cells by Stromal Cell-Derived Inducing Activity and Its Potential Therapeutic Application in Parkinson's Disease -- Epidermal Lineage -- ES Cell Differentiation Into the Hair Follicle Lineage In Vitro -- Embryonic Stem Cells as a Model for Studying Melanocyte Development -- Using Progenitor Cells and Gene Chips to Define Genetic Pathways -- ES Cell-Mediated Conditional Transgenesis -- Switching on Lineage Tracers Using Site-Specific Recombination -- From ES Cells to Mice: The Gene Trap Approach -- Functional Genomics by Gene-Trapping in Embryonic Stem Cells -- Phage-Displayed Antibodies to Detect Cell Markers -- Gene Transfer Using Targeted Filamentous Bacteriophage -- Single-Cell PCR Methods for Studying Stem Cells and Progenitors -- Nonradioactive Labeling and Detection of mRNAs Hybridized onto Nucleic Acid cDNA Arrays -- Expression Profiling Using Quantitative Hybridization on Macroarrays -- Isolation of Antigen-Specific Intracellular Antibody Fragments as Single Chain Fv for Use in Mammalian Cells -- Detection and Visualization of Protein Interactions with Protein Fragment Complementation Assays -- Direct Selection of cDNAs by Phage Display -- Screening for Protein-Protein Interactions in the Yeast Two-Hybrid System in Embryonic Stem Cells.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have significant potential in basic studies designed to better understand how different cells and tissues in the body are formed, as well as for generating unlimited numbers of cells for transplantation, drug delivery, and drug testing. In Embryonic Stem Cells: Methods and Protocols, Kursad Turksen and a panel of international experts describe their most productive methods for using ES cells as in vitro developmental models for many cell and tissue types. Set out in step-by-step detail by the investigators who developed them, these protocols range widely from ES cell isolation, maintenance, and modulation of gene expression, to cutting-edge techniques that use cDNA arrays in gene expression analysis and phage display libraries. There are also advanced techniques for the generation of antibodies against very rare antigens and for the identification and characterization of proteins and protein interactions. Additional studies of the ES cell cycle and apoptosis, as well as protocols for the use of ES cells to generate diverse cell and tissue types, complete this collection of readily reproducible methods. Many of the techniques have already been shown to have tremendous utility with ES cells and their differentiated progeny. Authoritative and state-of-the-art, this unique first collection of protocols for the study of ES cells, Embryonic Stem Cells: Methods and Protocols, will prove an invaluable resource not only for those generally interested in cell and developmental biology, but also for those actively using, or planning to use, ES cells to study fate choices and specific lineages.