Derivation of Ringed Seal ( Phoca hispida ) Induced Multipotent Stem Cells

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have been produced just for a few species among order Carnivora: snow leopard, Bengal tiger, serval, jaguar, cat, dog, ferret, and American mink. We applied the iPS cell derivation protocol to the ringed seal ( ) fibroblasts. The resulting cell line had the expression of pluripotency marker gene . Differentiation in embryoid body-like structures allowed us to register expression of , endoderm marker, and , trophectoderm marker, but not neuronal (ectoderm) markers. The cells readily differentiated into adipocytes and osteocytes, mesoderm cell types of origin. Transcriptome analysis allowed us to conclude that the cell line does not resemble human pluripotent cells, and, therefore, most probably is not pluripotent. Thus, we produced ringed seal multipotent stem cell line capable of differentiation into adipocytes and osteocytes.