Table 3.

Generation of pluripotent cells from various sources and the different criteria used for assessing developmental potential.

Donor cell/ tissue	Pluripotent cells	Criteria for pluripotency					ref
		In vitro differentiation	Teratoma	Postnatal chimera	Germ line	4n complementation
Murine oocyte	Parthogenetic ES cells	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	1
Blastomere	ES						2
ICM						Yes	3
PGC	EG, EC					No	4
Spermato-gonial stem cells	GMCS, maSSC, MASC						5
Epiblast	EpiSC			No	No		6
Human oocyte	Parthogenetic ES cells						7
Human blastocyst	Hu ES cells						8
Bone marrow derived cells	MAPC		No	?			9
Cord blood cells				No			10
Neural cells	Neurosphere derived						11

All cells listed were able to differentiate in vitro, which represents the least stringent criterion for developmental potential. Only murine oocyte, blastocyst and spermatogonial stem cell derived cells were able to generate chimeras and contribute to the germ line. .

References: 1 (Narasimha et al., 1997); 2 (Wakayama et al., 2007); 3 (Eggan et al., 2001; Evans and Kaufman, 1981; Martin, 1981); 4 (Matsui et al., 1992; Resnick et al., 1992); 5 (Guan et al., 2006; Kanatsu-Shinohara et al., 2004; Seandel et al., 2007); 6 (Brons et al., 2007; Tesar et al., 2007); 7 (Cibelli et al., 2002; Revazova et al., 2007); 8 (Thomson et al., 1998); 9 (Jiang et al., 2002; Phinney and Prockop, 2007); 10 (van de Ven et al., 2007); 11 (Clarke et al., 2000).