Histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid as a small molecule inducer to direct the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells.

Pluripotent stem cells can be directed into myogenic differentiation by small molecular inducers, which preferentially activate muscle-specific transcription networks. Here we describe how to efficiently direct the differentiation of pluripotent P19 cells into skeletal muscle lineage by using histone deacetylase inhibitor, valproic acid and the ligand of retinoic acid receptor, all-trans retinoic acid.