In addition to brain cells, vascular cells with putative pericyte identity have also been differentiated from hPSCs [ 120, 121].
The plasticity or transdifferentiation potential of MSC is not limited to mesodermal derivatives, since under appropriate cell culture conditions and stimulation by bioactive factors, MSC have also been differentiated into endodermal (hepatocytes) and neuroectodermal (neurons) cells.
hPSCs have also been differentiated to astrocytes that exhibit some broad positional identity (e.g. dorsal vs. ventral and forebrain vs. hindbrain) [ 116, 117], and these cells could be used to probe potential differences in region-specific BBB induction and maintenance.
The plasticity or transdifferentiation potential of MSC is not limited to mesenchymal derivatives, since under appropriate cell culture conditions and stimulation by certain exogenous or endogenous bioactive factors, MSC have also been differentiated into endodermal (hepatocytes) and neuroectodermal (neurons) cells [ 17, 18].
Evidence of tumor formation has also been observed in differentiated hESC derivatives transplanted in vivo [ 84, 85].
Expression of annexin A1 has also been associated with poorly differentiated oesophageal tumours of higher tumour stage (Hu et al, 2004).
A direct relationship between CaSR expression and the differentiated phenotype has also been observed in both the normal colonic mucosa and malignant colonic epithelium (Sheinin et al, 2000; Chakrabarty et al, 2003, 2005).
It has also been reported that in cases of poorly differentiated ADCs, which show a decreased expression of Napsin A and TTF-1 [19,21], and a proportion of these tumors have been shown to be P63-positive [33,34].
It has also been shown that many genes specific to differentiated hematopoietic lineages are expressed in hematopoietic stem cells [44].
A distinct population of cardioblasts expressing the transcription factor islet-1 (Isl-1) and entering fully differentiated cardiomyocyte lineages has also been identified [ 3, 4].
