The Hospital for Sick Children

The Hosptial for Sick Children

Michael Litvack

Martin Post

Sheena Bouch

A method of differentiating pluripotent stem cells into hemangioblasts comprising incubating the pluripotent stem cells in a first serum-free differentiation medium comprising bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stem cell factor (SCF) to induce differentiation of the pluripotent stem cells into hemangioblasts or hemangioblast-containing embryoid bodies is provided. The hemangioblasts or embryoid bodies may be cultured in a second differentiation medium comprising at least granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) for a period of time sufficient to generate alveolar-like macrophages.

Method of generating hemangioblasts

Alveolar-like macrophages and a method for generating alveolar-like macrophages from hemangioblasts is provided. The method comprises the steps of: i) culturing the hemangioblasts in a hematopoietic-inducing medium comprising vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), stem cell factor (SCF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) for a sufficient period of time to generate macrophages, and ii) culturing the macrophages in an alveolar macrophage-inducing medium comprising granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and optionally macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), under suitable conditions and for a sufficient period of time to yield alveolar-like macrophages.

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Toronto, Canada

Michael Litvack