Application of recombinant human leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) produced in rice (Oryza sativa L.) for maintenance of mouse embryonic stem cells.

•LIF comprises up to 90% of the cost of stem cell propagation.•The high cost of LIF decreases the ability to experiment with stem cells.•Rice-derived proteins are a less expensive, high purity source of useful proteins.•Mouse embryonic stem cells grown in rice-derived recombinant human LIF are indistinguishable from those grown in other media.