Hematopoietic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods of obtaining human hematopoietic cells from human embryonic stem cells using mammalian stromal cells. Hematopoietic cells derived in this way are useful for creating cell cultures suitable for transplantation, transfusion, and other purposes.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for obtaining human hematopoietic cells, comprising exposing a human embryonic stem cell culture to mammalian hematopoietic stromal cells so as to thereby create human hematopoietic cells.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the human hematopoietic cells that are so created are CD34 + .  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the human hematopoietic cells that are so created are capable of forming hematopoietic cell colony forming units in methylcellulose culture.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stromal cells are selected from the group consisting of bone marrow cells and embryonic yolk cells.  
     
     
         5 . A human hematopoietic cell culture which was derived from a human embryonic stem cell culture in vitro.  
     
     
         6 . The cell culture of  claim 5 , wherein the cell culture is capable of forming hematopoietic cell colony forming units in methylcellulose culture.  
     
     
         7 . The cell culture of  claim 5 , wherein the cell culture has at least some hematopoietic cells that are CD34 + .  
     
     
         8 . A method of transplanting human cellular material into a human recipient host, comprising: 
 obtaining human hematopoietic cells which have been derived in vitro from an embryonic stem cell culture;    obtaining a selected human cellular material other than hematopoietic cells, the selected non-hematopoietic material having major histocompatibility complex compatibility to the hematopoietic cells; and    transplanting both the hematopoietic cells and selected human non-hematopoietic cellular material into the human host.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the selected human cellular material is human pancreatic islets.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the selected human cellular material is human oligodendrocytes.