Early mesoderm cells, a stable population of mesendoderm cells that has utility for generation of endoderm and mesoderm lineages and multipotent migratory cells (MMC)

A method of differentiating primate Pluripotent Stem Cells (pPSCs) into Isl1+ mesoderm cells comprising (a) providing pPSCs;

• (b) contacting the pPSCs with an effective amount of at least one GSK inhibitor selected from the group consisting of a GSK3 inhibitor and a Wnt protein in a cell differentiation medium for a period ranging from about 18 hours to about 72 hours to produce mesendoderm cells;
• and (c) subsequently contacting the cells obtained from step (b) with an effective amount of a bone morphogenic protein (BMP) and optionally, a GSK inhibitor selected from the group consisting of a GSK3 inhibitor or a Wnt protein for a period of about two days to about 9 days to produce said mesoderm cells;
• and (d) optionally, isolating said mesoderm cells.

A method of producing Isl1+ mesoderm cells from pPSCs comprising culturing said pPSCs in a differentiation medium with an effective amount of a GSK inhibitor in combination with an effective amount of a bone morphogenic protein and optionally, isolating said Isl1+ mesoderm cells.

A method of differentiating mesendoderm cells into Isl1+ mesoderm cells comprising contacting said mesendoderm cells with an effective amount of a bone morphogenic protein and optionally, a GSK inhibitor in a cell differentiation medium for a period ranging from about 2-9 days to produce Isl1+ mesoderm cells and optionally, isolating said mesoderm cells.