R&D pipeline

Mouse Embryonic Stem cells (ES cells) have been used for fifteen years to establish mutant mice (knock out and knock-in mouse) to analysis gene function in vivo. Embryonic Stem cells are continuously growing cells derived from the inner cell mass of the embryo at the blastocyst stage (3.5 days post coito). These cells possess three unique features:

	They are naturally immortal. Embryonic Stem cells can grow indefinitely in vitro without the use of immortalizing or transforming agents.
	They are highly tumoral. When injected in syngenic mice, Embryonic Stem cells develop teratocarcinoma tumors that comprise cells of different embryonic origins.
	They are pluripotent. Embryonic Stem cells maintain the capacity for differentiation into a wide range of tissues in vitro and in vivo.

Blastocyst injection : Embryonic Stem cells reintroduced into host blastocysts can contribute to all adult tissues, including germ cells. After blastocyst injection, embryos are reimplanted in surrogate mother. The mouse obtained from injected blastocysts is made of cells of two origins (host blastocyst derived cells and injected Embryonic Stem cells) and is called a chimera (see picture). Therefore, a genetic modification introduced in Embryonic Stem cells by homologous recombination can be introduced in the germ line of a chimera (mouse) and be transmitted to progeny. Mutations in thousands of genes have now been carried out by this route. genOway currently uses this technology for its service activity and its R&D programs.

Embryonic Stem cells are increasingly exploited for their capacity to differentiate into a defined cell population in vitro. This feature should allow us to develop ES cell differentiation systems for efficient in vitro analysis of gene function and pharmacological screening. This technology is one of genOway’s most promising R&D programs.