pluripotency marker, OCT4 (Fig 2A). At the same time, PAX6 and NESTIN expression, early markers of neuroectoderm, increased indicating desired lineage specification (Fig 2B and 2C)[34]. The generation of NPs was further confirmed by increased expression of the dorsoventral neuronal specification markers DLX2, GLI3 and FOXG1 (Fig 2D–2F) [35,36]. Gene expression for endodermal (AFP and SOX17) [37] and mesodermal (T/Brachyury) markers [38] decreased during differentiation (data not shown), consistent with differentiation towards the neuroectodermal lineage.
