Abstract:The study on the derivation of cell type patterns in mesoderm and dissecting their development and differentiation processes， are critical in generating functional and transplantable mesoderm derived stem cells， rendering the applications of regenerative medicine. The mesoderm study belongs to a part of a project “the research on the stem cells and regenerative medicine” in Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This project focused on two mesoderm derived cell types， muscle and blood. We investigated the features and regulatory mechanisms in the development and differentiation of mesoderm cell types， and found novel factors that can maintain the stemness of progenitor cells. Based on these findings， we constructed the large-scale cultivation and proliferation system， in vitro. This study will provide valuable information for profound understanding of the self-renew， proliferation and differentiation of mesoderm derived stem cells. This article will review the research progress of the five-year project.