Differentiation Protocols to Generate Endoderm Lineages from Pluripotent Stem Cells

Definitive endoderm (DE) is the cellular precursor to respiratory and digestive related organs such as lungs, stomach, liver, pancreas, and intestine. Endodermal lineage cells derived from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) in vitro are a potentially unlimited resource for regenerative medicine. These cells are useful tools for studying the physiology, pathogenesis, and medical therapies involving these tissues. Great progress has been achieved in PSCs differentiation protocols. In this review, we will focus on the most common and/or advanced differentiation strategies currently used to generate endodermal lineage cells from PSCs. A brief discussion about the effect of early definitive endoderm differentiation on the final development products will follow.