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Embryonic Stem Cell Models of Human Brain Tumors

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Brain Tumor Stem Cells

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1869))

Abstract

Utilization of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) as a model system to study highly malignant pediatric cancers has led to significant insight into the molecular mechanisms governing tumor progression and has revealed novel therapeutic targets for these devastating diseases. Here, we describe a method for generating heterogeneous populations of neural precursors from both normal and neoplastic hESCs and the subsequent injection of neoplastic human embryonic neural cells (hENs) into intracerebellar or intracranial xenograft models. Histopathologically, neural tumors derived from neoplastic hENs exhibit features similar to more aggressive medulloblastoma, the most common malignant primary pediatric brain tumor. In this chapter, we will outline the detailed methods for culturing normal and neoplastic neural precursor cells in both adherent and tumorsphere format and the full characterization of the brain tumors generated from these cells in non-obese diabetic severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD SCID) mice.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regenerative Medicine Program, Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Ludivine Coudière Morrison, Nazanin Tatari & Tamra E. Werbowetski-Ogilvie

  2. Regenerative Medicine Program, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Ludivine Coudière Morrison, Nazanin Tatari & Tamra E. Werbowetski-Ogilvie

  3. McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Nazanin Tatari

  4. Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Nazanin Tatari

Authors
  1. Ludivine Coudière Morrison
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  2. Nazanin Tatari
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  3. Tamra E. Werbowetski-Ogilvie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tamra E. Werbowetski-Ogilvie .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Sheila K. Singh

  2. Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Chitra Venugopal

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Morrison, L.C., Tatari, N., Werbowetski-Ogilvie, T.E. (2019). Embryonic Stem Cell Models of Human Brain Tumors. In: Singh, S., Venugopal, C. (eds) Brain Tumor Stem Cells. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1869. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8805-1_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8805-1_12

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-8804-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-8805-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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