Effect of a Simple Serum-Free Medium, CR1, on the Development of IVM/IVF Bovine Embryos

박세필,김선의,엄상준,김은영,김태완,윤산현,정길생,임진호,Park, Se-Pill,Kim, Seun-Eui,Uhm, Sang-Jun,Kim, Eun-Young,Kim, Teo-An,Yoon, San-Hyun,Chung, Kil-Saeng,Lim, Jin-Ho The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 1995 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.22 No.2

본 연구는 혈청 무첨가 단순배양액인 CR1이 체외에서 생산된 소 수정란의 체외 배발생에 미치는 영향을 검토하고자 실시하였다. 본 연구에서 얻어진 결과를 요약해보면, 1) 총 1250개의 체외성숙 난자로 부터 체외 수정결과 본 실험의 목적상 이용될 수 있는 1,025개 (82.0%)의 분할란 (>1세포기)을 얻을 수 있었으며, 체외배양 결과 배반포기와 부화율은 각각 27.1%와 20.2%였다. 2) CR1 배양액은 소난포란 (>1세포기)의 체외발생시 난관상피세포, 난구세포, 영양배엽세포 등의 체세포와 공동배양을 유도하지 않고서도 높은 배발생율을 얻을 수 있었으며, 이러한 결과로 미루어 볼때 CR1은 난자의 체외배양시 난자성장촉진 인자를 연구하는데 효과적으로 사용될 수 있다는 것을 시사한다.

Effect of Fertilization Promoting Peptide (FPP) on the Acrosome Status of Cryopreserved Human Sperm

박세필,신현아,김은영,이원돈,임진호,Park, Se Pill,Shin, Hyun Ah,Kim, Eun Young,Lee, Won Don,Lim, Jin Ho The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 2005 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.32 No.2

연구목적: 정자의 첨체상태는 수정능과 상관관계가 있다. 본 연구는 사람 정자의 동결보존 시 Fertilization promoting peptide (FPP) 처리가 첨체 유지에 효과가 있는지를 알아보고자 실시하였다. 연구재료 및 방법: 사람 정자는 정액검사를 의뢰한 시료를 사용하였으며, 적정농도를 조사하기 위하여 25, 50, 100 nM FPP를 신선정자에 처리한 뒤 시간별로 첨체의 변화를 조사하였다. 또한 적정화된 50 nM FPP를 정자의 동결-융해 시에 처리한 뒤 첨체 변화를 조사하였다. 첨체 변화는 FITC - pisum sativum lectin (PSA) 염색방법을 이용하여 조사하였다. 결 과: FPP 농도 변화와 처리시간에 따른 사람 정자의 첨체 변화를 조사하였던 바, 50 nM FPP 처리군에서 대조군보다 높은 온전한 첨체비율을 얻을 수 있었다. 정자의 동결-융해 시, 동결액과 융해액에 50 nM FPP 첨가가 온전한 첨체를 유지하는 비율을 조사하였던 바, 신선 정자의 결과보다는 유의하게 낮지만 무 처리군보다 유의적으로 높은 온전한 첨체를 얻을 수 있는 것을 알 수 있었다. 또한 동결액에만 또는 융해액에만 50 nM FPP 처리를 하더라도 무 처리군보다 유의하게 높은 온전한 첨체 비율을 획득할 수 있음을 알 수 있었다 (p<0.001). 결 론: 사람 정자의 동결보존 시 50 nM FPP 첨가는 자발적으로 발생하는 첨체반응을 억제하고, 온전한 첨체를 유지할 수 있어 수정능 보유에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

The Cytoskeletal and Chromosomal Constitution of Vitrified Immature Mouse Oocytes

박세필,이봉경,김은영,남화경,이금실,윤산현,정길생,임진호,Park, Se-Pill,Yi, Bong-Kyung,Kim, Eun-Young,Nam, Hwa-Kyung,Lee, Keum-Sil,Yoon, San-Hyun,Chun, Kil-Saeng,Lim, Jin-Ho The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 1999 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.26 No.3

연구목적: 본 연구는 동해방지제인 EFS40을 이용한 초자화동결이 생쥐 미성숙란의 cytoskeleton과 염색체의 성상에 미치는 영향을 indirect immunocytochemistry방법과 염색체 분석법으로 알아보고자 실시하였다. 연구재료 및 방법: 본 실험은 생쥐 미성숙란을 EFS40 (40% ethylene glycol, 18% ficou과 0.5 M sucrose가 들어있는 M2배양액)으로 초자화 동결하여 융해한 후 16시간동안 체외 성숙을 유도하여, 제 1극체가 나타난 성숙된 난자를 기준으로 동해제노출군 또는 대조군과 비교 조사하였다. 결과: 초자화동결된 미성숙란의 응해 후 생존율과 체외성숙율은 90.3%과 64.7%로써, 동해제노출군 (86.7%, 69.2%)과 대조군 (100%, 58.3%)에 유사하였다. 초자화동결이 미성숙란의 microtubule과 microfilament에 미치는 영향을 조사하였던 바, 동결군의 microtubule과 micro-filament의 정상적인 형성율 (93.9%, 100.0%)은 동해 제노출군 (94.4%, 100.0%)과 대조군 (100.0%, 100.0%)의 성적과 유사하게 나타났다. 또한, 초자화동결군에서 정상적인 염색체수를 가진 난자의 비율도 65.8%로써, 대조군(79.6%)과 노출군 (69.0%)의 결과와 유의한 차이가 없었다. 결론: 생쥐 미성숙란을 EFS40에 노출하고 동결하는 것이 미성숙란의 cytoskeleton과 염색체성상에 영향을 미치지 않으며, 본 연구에서 사용된 EFS40을 이용한 초자화동결법은 생쥐 미성숙란 동결에 적합하다는 것을 알 수 있었다. This study was to confirm whether the vitrification method using EFS40 freezing solution has detrimental effect on the cytoskeleton and chromosome constitution of the immature mouse oocytes by indirect immunocytochemistry and chromosome analysis. Immature mouse oocytes were vitrified using EFS40 (40% EG, 18% ficoll, 0.5 M sucrose diluted in M2 medium), thawed and then survived oocytes were in vitro matured for 16 hr. When the microtubule morphology and micro filament distribution in vitrified-thawed immature mouse oocytes were examined, normal percentage of two cytoskeleton in vitrified group (93.9 and 100.0%) was not significantly different from that in control (100.0 and 100.0%) and exposed group (94.4 and 100.0%). The rate of oocytes containing a normal chromosome number in vitrified group was 65.8%, this result was not significantly different from that in control (79.6%) and exposed group (69.0%). These results indicated that exposure to cryoprotectant or freezing has not effect on the alteration of cytoskeleton morphology and the chromosome constitution of mouse oocytes and that our vitrification methods using EFS40 freezing solution was suitable for the cryopreservation of immature mouse oocytes.

체외수정 유래 생쥐 배아줄기세포와 유사한 특성을 보유한 단위발생 유래 생쥐 배아줄기세포

박세필,김은영,이금실,이영재,신현아,민현정,이훈택,정길생,임진호,Park, Se-Pill,Kim, Eun-Young,Lee, Keum-Si,Lee, Young-Jae,Shin, Hyun-Ah,Min, Hyun-Jung,Lee, Hoon-Taek,Chung, Kil-Saeng,Lim, Jin-Ho 대한생식의학회 2002 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.29 No.2

Objective: This study was to compare the characteristics between parthenogenetic mES (P-mES) cells and in vitro fertilization mES cells. Materials and Methods: Mouse oocytes were recovered from superovulated 4 wks hybrid F1 (C57BL/6xCBA/N) female mice. For parthenogenetic activation, oocytes were treated with 7% ethanol for 5 min and $5{\mu}g$/ml cytochalasin-B for 4 h. For IVF, oocytes were inseminated with epididymal sperm of hybrid F1 male mice ($1{times}10^6/ml$). IVF and parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in M16 medium for 4 days. Cell number count of blastocysts in those two groups was taken by differential labelling using propidium iodide (red) and bisbenzimide (blue). To establish ES cells, b1astocysts in IVF and parthenogenetic groups were treated by immunosurgery and recovered inner cell mass (ICM) cells were cultured in LIF added ES culture medium. To identify ES cells, the surface markers alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-1, 3,4 and Oct4 staining were examined in rep1ated ICM colonies. Chromosome numbers in P-mES and mES were checked. Also, in vitro differentiation potential of P-mES and mES was examined. Results: Although the cleavage rate (${\geq}$2-cell) was not different between IVF (76.3%) and parthenogenetic group (67.0%), in vitro development rate was significantly low in parthenogenetic group (24.0%) than IVF group (68.4%) (p<0.05). Cell number count of ICM and total cell in parthenogenetic b1astocysts ($9.6{\pm}3.1,\;35.1{\pm}5.2$) were signficantly lower than those of IVF blastocysts ($19.5{\pm}4.7,\;63.2{\pm}13.0$) (p<0.05). Through the serial treatment procedure such as immunosurgery, plating of ICM and colony formation, two ICM colonies in IVF group (mES, 10.0%) and three ICM colonies (P-mES, 42.9%) in parthenogenetic group were able to culture for extended duration (25 and 20 passages, respectively). Using surface markers, alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-l and Oct4 in P-mES and mES colony were positively stained. The number of chromosome was normal in ES colony from two groups. Also, in vitro neural and cardiac cell differentiation derived from mES or P-mES cells was confirmed. Conclusion: This study suggested that P-mES cells can be successfully established and that those cell lines have similar characteristics to mES cells.

Cryopreservation of Mouse IVF/IVC Blastocysts by Vitrification

김선의,엄상준,김은영,윤산현,박세필,임진호,Kim, Seun-Eui,Uhm, Sang-Jun,Kim, Eun-Young,Yoon, San-Hyun,Park, Se-Pill,Lim, Jin-Ho The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 1996 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.23 No.1

본 연구는 체외수정에 의해 생산된 생쥐 배반포기배를 vitrification 방법으로 동결보존하였을때 높은 생존율을 얻기 위한 적정조건을 검토하고자 실시하였다. 배반포기배를 생산하기 위하여, B6CBA F1 (C57BL/6, (표현불가)${\times}CBA/N$, (표현불가)) 계통의 생쥐 미수정란에 $1{\times}10^6$ spermatozoa/ml 농도의 정자로서 수정을 유도하였으며, 이후 $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$배양기내에서 96시간동안 체외배양하였다. 배양 4일째의 배반포기배는 발달상태에 따라 early, middle 그리고 hatching blastocysts로 구분하였다. 본 실험에 사용된 동결보존액은 30% Ficoll과 0.5mol의 sucrose가 첨가된 mDPBS 용액에 40%의 ethylene glycol를 첨가한 EFS 40 (Zhu et al., 1993) 이었고, 수정란은 $25^{\circ}C$의 상온에서 먼저 20% ethylene glycol에 노출된 후 EFS 40 용액으로 옮겨 액체질소에 침지하는 2단계 동결법에 의해 동결보존되었으며, 급속융해하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. 체외수정율과 배양 4일째 배반포기까지의 배발달율은 각각 89.4%와 86.1%였다. 2. 20% ethylene glycol에서 5분간 평형된 후 EFS 40 용액에 냉동보존된 후 융해된 난자의 생존율은 20% ethylene glycol에 0, 1, 3분간 평형된 난자의 생존율에 비해 유의하게 높았다. 3. 배반포기배를 20% ethylene glycol에서 5분간, EFS 40 용액에 1분간 차례로 노출한 다음 체와배양하였던 바, 배양 24시간째 생존율은 $82.9%{\sim}88.4%$ 였다. 본 연구 결과, 체외수정, 배양된 생쥐 배반포기배는 20% ethylene glycol과 EFS40에 대한 노출만으로는 난자의 생존성에 나쁜 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 미루어 보아 배반포기배의 초자화 동결이 가능함을 시사하였다. 따라서 동결 융해 후 높은 생존율은 상온에서 난자를 2단계 즉, 20% ethylene glycol에 5분간 평형시킨 후 EFS 40 용액에 노출하여 1분내에 LN2에 직접 침지하는 간편한 동결방법으로 얻을 수 있었다.

단위발생 유래 생쥐 배아줄기세포의 기능성 심근세포 형성

신현아,김은영,이영재,이금실,박은미,이훈택,정길생,박세필,임진호,Shin, Hyun-Ah,Kim, Eun-Young,Lee, Young-Jae,Lee, Keum-Sil,Park, Eun-Mi,Lee, Hoon-Taek,Chung, Kil-Saeng,Park, Se-Pill,Lim, Jin-Ho 대한생식의학회 2002 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.29 No.2

Objective : This study was to establish a reproducible differentiation system from the parthenogenetic mouse embryonic stem (P-mES02) cells into functional cardiomyocytes like as in vitro fertilization mouse embryonic stem (mES01) cells. Materials and Methods: To induce differentiation, P-mES02 cells were dissociated and aggregated in suspension culture environment for embryoid body (EB) formation. For differentiation into cardiomyocytes, day 4 EBs were treated with 0.75% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for another 4 days (4-/4+) and then were plated onto gelatin-coated dish. Cultured cells were observed daily using an inverted light microscope to determine the day of contraction onset and total duration of continuous contractile activity for each contracting focus. This frequency was compared with the results of DMSO not treated P-mES02 group (4-/4-) and mES01 groups (4-/4+ or 4-/4-). For confirm the generation of cardiomyocytes, beating cell masses were treated with trypsin-EDTA, dispersed cells were plated onto glass coverslips and incubated for 48 h. Attached cells were fixed using 4% paraformaldehyde and incubated with specific antibodies (Abs) to detect cardiomyocytes (anti-sarcomeric ? -actinin Ab, 1 : 100; anti-cardiac troponin I Ab, 1 : 2000) for 1 h. And the cells were finally treated with FITC or TRITC labelled 2nd Abs, respectively, then they were examined under fluorescence microscopy. Results: Rhythmically contracting areas in mES01 or P-mES02 cells were firstly appeared at 9 or 10 days after EBs plating, respectively. The highest cumulative frequency of beating EBs was not different in both treatment groups (mES01 and P-mES02, 4-/4+) with the results of 61.3 % at 13 days and 69.8% at 15 days, respectively. Also, the contracting duration of individual beating EBs was different from minimal 7 days to maximal 53 days. However, DMSO not treated groups (mES01 and P-mES02, 4-/4-) also had contracting characteristics although their frequency was a few compared to those of DMSO treated groups (6.0% and 4.0%). Cells recovered from the spontaneously contracting areas within EBs in both treated groups were stained positively with muscle specific anti-sarcomeric ? -actinin Ab and cardiac specific anti-cardiac troponin I Ab. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the P-mES02 cell-derived cardiomyocytes displayed similarly structural properties to mES01 cell-derived cardiomyocytes and that the DMSO treatment enhanced the cardiomyocytes differentiation in vitro.

IVF-ET Program에서 Blastocyst 배아의 발생에 관한 연구 - II. 난구세포 공동배양에 의한 Blastocyst 배아의 발생

이석원,윤산현,윤혜균,조현진,허용수,윤혜진,박세필,이원돈,임진호,Lee, Suk-Won,Yoon, San-Hyun,Yoon, Hye-Gyun,Cho, Hyon-Jin,Heo, Yong-Soo,Yoon, Hye-Jin,Park, Se-Pill,Lee, Won-Don,Lim, Jin-Ho 대한생식의학회 1998 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.25 No.1

This study was carried out to investigate the development rates of human embryos co-cultured with cumulus cells to each blastocyst stage. Human zygotes were co-cultured on cumulus cell monolayer in YS medium supplemented with 20% hFF. On day 2, if patient had four or more "good" embryos (regular blastomeres without fragmentation), embryos were further cultured for 72hrs. Blastocysts on day 5 were classified into early blastocyst (ErB), early expanding blastocyst (EEB), middle expanding Blastocyst (MEB), and expanded blastocyst (EdB) on the basis of their morphological aspects of trophectoderm cells and blastocoele. Subsequently, maximum 3 of best blastocysts were transferred in 486 cycles. The results in this study were as follows: Patients who had four or more "good" embryos on day 2 were 498 persons, but patients whose embryos could not be transferred due to failure in development to the blastocyst stage on day 5 were 12 persons (2.4%). The development rate of embryos to the blastocyst stage was 58.2% (2,885/4,957) on day 5, and the rates that developed to the ErB, EEB, MEB, and EdB stage were 15.0% (743/4,957), 14.9% (739/4,957), 14.4% (714/ 4,957), and 13.9% (689/4,957), respectively. Total 1366 blastocysts were transferred in 486 cycles (mean number=2.81). The implantation rate and the ongoing implantation rate obtained by observing the number of G-sac and FHB were 29.9% (409/1,366) and 22.5% (308/1,366), respectively. The clinical pregnancy rate was 51.2% (249/486), and the ongoing pregnancy rate' was 39.1% (190/486). Among women showing ongoing pregnancy, women with singleton were 50% (95/190), women with twin were 37.9% (72/190), and women with triplet were 12.1% (23/190). Although triplet pregnancy rate in this study was high such as 12.1%, because many blastocysts with high viability were produced in our co-culture system using cumulus cells on day 5, we really believe that a multiple pregnancy except twin should not occur by selecting good embryos for maximum two blastocyst transfer. These results demonstrate that autologous cumulus cells may be used for the production of blastocysts with high developmental competence, and the use of autologous cumulus cells to be collected easily, and to be treated conveniently at OPU must be an effective means for obtaining high implantation and pregnancy rate.

Development to Hatching Blastocysts and Cell Allocation to the Inner Cell Mass and Trophectoderm of Pig In Vitro Embryos as Affected by Amino Acids and Serum

엄상준,김은영,김묘경,이봉경,이현숙,김태완,윤산현,박세필,정길생,임진호,Uhm, Sang-Jun,Kim, Eun-Young,Kim, Myo-Kyung,Yi, Bong-Kyung,Lee, Hyeon-Sook,Kim, Te-Oan,Yoon, San-Hyun,Park, Se-Pill,Chung, Kil-Saeng,Lim, Jin-Ho The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 1997 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.24 No.2

체외성숙과 수정된 돼지 난자의 체외발달능이 체외배발생 배양액인 NCSU 배양액에 0.4% BSA, 10% 혈청 혹은 아미노산 (2% BME 아미노산 용액과 1% MEM 아미노산 용액)을 첨가함으로서 조사되었다. 본 실험에 공시된 난자는 체외수정 추 30시간 (2-세포기)혹은 48 시간 ($2{\sim}4$-세포기)에 회수하였다. 실험I에서 0.4% BSA가 첨가된 NCSU 배양액에서 2-세포기 난자들의 배양경과시간에 따른 발달능을 조사한 결과, 배양 후 72 시간 (체외수정 후 102 시간)에 상실배기와 배반포기 배가 나타났으며, 배양 후 120 시간째 (체외수정 후 150 시간)에도 팽창된 배반포기 배까지만 발달하였다. 실험II는 체외수정 후 48 시간의 분할된 ($2{\sim}8$-세포기) 난자들의 핵과 외관적 분할구와의 수적 차이를 조사한 결과, $2{\sim}4$-세포기보다는 5-세포기 이상에서 핵과 분할구의 조화에 차이가 많았다. 실험III에서는 $2{\sim}4$-세포기 난자들을 배양후 5일째의 배반포들의 투명대의 두께, 난자 크기 그리고 inner cell mass (ICM)과 trophectoderm (TE)의 세포 배열을 조사한 결과, 난자의 크기가 커짐에 따라서 투명대가 얇아지고 전체 세포수가 증가하였지만, ICM의 비율은 차이가 없었다. 실험IV에서는 BSA, 혈청 혹은 아미노산이 첨가 혹은 무첨가된 배양액내에서 $2{\sim}4$-세포기 난자들의 배반포 후 부화능력을 조사한 결과, 모든 군에 있는 난자들은 팽창된 배반포기 배까지 발달할 수 있었던 반면, 난자의 부화는 아미노산 혹은 혈청이 포함된 배양액에서만 일어났다. 더우기 상실배기와 배반포기 시기에 혈청의 첨가는 부화 배반포기 배의 발달을 현저히 증가시켰다. 또한 아미노산과 혈청의 영향을 받은 팽창 배반포기 배는 얇은 투명대, 팽창된 난자의 크기 그리고 ICM과 전체 세포수의 증가를 보였다. 이상의 결과로 미루어 볼때, 배양액내에 대한 아미노산과 혈청의 첨가는 돼지 배반포기 배의 부화를 유도할 수 있다고 보며, 더우기 이들 요소들은 투명대의 두께, 난자의 크기 그리고 ICM과 전체 세포수에 영향을 미친다.

인간 배아 줄기세포 유래 신경세포로의 분화: BDNF와 PDGF-bb가 기능성 신경세포 생성에 미치는 영향

조현정,김은영,이영재,최경희,안소연,박세필,임진호,Cho, Hyun-Jung,Kim, Eun-Young,Lee, Young-Jae,Choi, Kyoung-Hee,Ahn, So-Yeon,Park, Se-Pill,Lim, Jin-Ho 대한생식의학회 2002 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.29 No.2

Objective: This study was to investigate the generation of the functional neuron derived from human embryonic stem (hES, MB03) cells on in vitro neural cell differentiation system. Methods: For neural progenitor cell formation derived from hES cells, we produced embryoid bodies (EB: for 5 days, without mitogen) from hES cells and then neurospheres (for $7{\sim}10$ days, 20 ng/ml of bFGF added N2 medium) from EB. And then finally for the differentiation into mature neuron, neural progenitor cells were cultured in i) N2 medium only (without bFGF), ii) N2 supplemented with 20 ng/ml platelet derived growth factor-bb (PDGF-bb) or iii) N2 supplemented with 5 ng/ml brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) for 2 weeks. Identification of neural cell differentiation was carried out by immunocytochemistry using $\beta_{III}$-tubulin (1:250), MAP-2 (1:100) and GFAP (1:500). Also, generation of functional neuron was identified using anti-glutamate (Sigma, 1:1000), anti-GABA (Sigma, 1:1000), anti-serotonin (Sigma, 1:1000) and anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (Sigma, 1:1000). Results: In vitro neural cell differentiation, neurotrophic factors (PDGF and BDNF) treated cell groups were high expressed MAP-2 and GFAP than non-treated cell group. The highest expression pattern of MAP-2 and $\beta_{III}$-tubulin was indicated in BDNF treated group. Also, in the presence of PDGF-bb or BDNF, most of the neural cells derived from hES cells were differentiated into glutamate and GABA neuron in vitro. Furthermore, we confirmed that there were a few serotonin and tyrosine hydroxylase positive neuron in the same culture environment. Conclusion: This results suggested that the generation of functional neuron derived from hES cells was increased by addition of neurotrophic factors such as PDGF-bb or BDNF in b-FGF induced neural cell differentiation system and especially glutamate and GABA neurons were mainly produced in the system.

Tyrosine Hydroxylase 유전자가 주입된 인간 배아줄기세포의 체외 신경세포 분화

신현아,김은영,이금실,조황윤,김용식,이원돈,박세필,임진호,Shin, Hyun-Ah,Kim, Eun-Young,Lee, Keum-Sil,Cho, Hwang-Yoon,Kim, Yong-Sik,Lee, Won-Don,Park, Se-Pill,Lim, Jin-Ho 대한생식의학회 2004 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.31 No.1

Objective: This study was to examine in vitro neural cell differentiation pattern of the genetically modified human embryonic stem cells expressing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Materials and Methods: Human embryonic stem (hES, MB03) cell was transfected with cDNAs cording for TH. Successful transfection was confirmed by western immunoblotting. Newly transfected cell line (TH#2/MB03) was induced to differentiate by two neurogenic factors retinoic acid (RA) and b-FGF. Exp. I) Upon differentiation using RA, embryoid bodies (EB, for 4 days) derived from TH#2/MB03 cells were exposed to RA ($10^{-6}M$)/AA ($5{\times}10^{-2}mM$) for 4 days, and were allowed to differentiate in N2 medium for 7, 14 or 21 days. Exp. II) When b-FGF was used, neuronal precursor cells were expanded at the presence of b-FGF (10 ng/ml) for 6 days followed by a final differentiation in N2 medium for 7, 14 or 21 days. Neuron differentiation was examined by indirect immunocytochemistry using neuron markers (NF160 & NF200). Results: After 7 days in N2 medium, approximately 80% and 20% of the RA or b-FGF induced Th#2/MB03 cells were immunoreactive to anti-NF160 and anti-NF200 antibodies, respectively. As differentiation continued, NF200 in RA treated cells significantly increased to 73.0% on 14 days compared to that in b-FGF treated cells (53.0%, p<0.05), while the proportion of cells expressing NF160 was similarly decreased between two groups. However, throughout the differentiation, expression of TH was maintained ($\sim$90%). HPLC analyses indicated the increased levels of L-DOPA in RA treated genetically modified hES cells with longer differentiation time. Conclusion: These results suggested that a genetically modified hES cells (TH#2/MB03) could be efficiently differentiated in vitro into mature neurons by RA induction method.