LIF promotes over-expression of ESC and NC markers. Transcript expression of ESC markers (A) and neural crest cell markers (B) was measured by qRT-PCR after 21 days of culturing of HCECs in different media (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001, compare with that of SHEM group as the control, n = 3). The immunostaining was performed at Day 21 for expression of Sox2, Oct4, Nanog, KLF4, Nestin, p75NTR and FOXD3 (C). Scale bar: 25 μm.