Since their isolation in 1998, human embryonic stem (ES) cells have been used as a powerful experimental model for studying the mechanisms of stem cell self-renewal, pluripotency, and differentiation in humans. However, the protocols by which these cells are grown still differ considerably from laboratory to laboratory and standardisation is needed in this young area of research.

Human Embryonic Stem Cells: The Practical Handbook contains all basic methods for sourcing, deriving, culturing, and manipulating human ES cells. The editors have gathered the leading scientists in the field to describe the protocols that they have carried out and tested in their own labs.

The book

• Contains practical information for newcomers to the field: from how to source human ES cells from international cell banks to organizing the laboratory to accommodate work with these cells.

• Provides protocols for routine culture as well as specialized protocols for directing differentiation into specific cell lineages.

• Addresses the different proclivities and behaviours of individual human ES cell lines: authors state which lines they tried their protocols on and, more importantly, which lines worked best.

• Includes troubleshooting sections that address common problems and offer advice on how these can be overcome.

• Follows a simple, concise, and consistent structure: background material and hypothesizing are kept to a minimum to insure clarity and usability at the bench.

Human Embryonic Stem Cells: The Practical Handbook is the essential source of up-to-date, practical information for all researchers and clinicians working with human embryonic stem cells.