Method of culturing embryonic stem cells with the use of amniotic membrane-origin factor

Abstract

The present invention provides a clinically applicable method of inducing differentiation of the embryonic stem cells. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of culturing embryonic stem cells, which comprises culturing embryonic stem cells in the presence of an amnion-derived factor, a cell culture obtained by the culture method, and a culture agent/culture kit of embryonic stem cells comprising an amnion-derived factor. The present invention also provides a method of screening an amnion-derived factor having an activity useful for culturing embryonic stem cells with the activity as an index, and an amniocyte-derived factor obtained by the screening method. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method of preparing amniocytes useful for culturing embryonic stem cells, amniocytes obtained by the preparation method, and the like.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.