Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine of the interleukin-6 family and has different biological actions in embryonic stem cells, primordial germ cells, peripheral neurons, osteoblasts, adipocytes, and endothelial cells.
LIF is known to induce proliferation of haematopoietic stem cells and to maintain the undifferentiated state of embryonic stem (ES) cells cultures
Nanog-GFP mES cultured in complete KO DMEM medium supplemented with 15% Serum Replacement and 1000U/ml LIF
(courtesy of C. Giachino, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia “S.Luigi Gonzaga”, Italy)
