I am trying to culture human iPSCs without a feeder layer and keep them undifferentiated. I am using a commercial iPSCs media. I am trying to do this without matrigel, but the cells keep differentiating. Do I need to add Matrigel or is there a way to do this without?
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Efficient cell specific differentiation systems for iPSC
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Company: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
Job Title: Director of Research and Development
Answer
(A) iPSC feeder free cultures would primarily require a matrix ( substrate) and robust culture media systems to enable and sustain stem cell state and at the same time allow expansion of the iPSC within the culture system. Without a substrate and culture media system, the cells will crash. You could consider using alternative substrates including Geltrex®, CellStart™ or Vitronectin as part of your culture system. These products are manufactured in GMP conditions and the reproducibility of performance is well validated. The only way PSCs could be grown without a substrate/matrix would be to grow them as small aggregates in suspension cultures.
Learn more about 3D matrices for stem cell research – http://www.lifetechnologies.com/us/en/home/life-science/stem-cell-research/induced-pluripotent-stem-cells/extracellular-matrices-psc-culture.html
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