Activin A-driven differentiation timecourse with human embryonic stem cells

Activin A is known to induce endodermal differentiation in human embryonic stem cells under low-serum or certain defined media conditions. To gain insights into global gene expression changes during Activin A-induced differentiation, gene expression was monitored by means of microarrays in short intervals until 4 days of treatment. Keywords: Differentiation timecourse experiment hES cells were adapted to N2B27-based chemically defined medium, replated and continuously treated with Activin A in the absense of FGF2. Cells from replicate cultures were harvested 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 hours after the inititation of Activin A stimulation. Each timepoint was represented by two biological replicates.