A novel chemical-defined medium with bFGF and N2B27 supplements supports undifferentiated growth in human embryonic stem cells.
Traditionally, undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are maintained on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells or on matrigel with an MEF-conditioned medium (CM), which hampers the clinical applications of hESCs due to the contamination by animal pathogens. Here we report a novel chemical-defined medium using DMEM/F12 supplemented with N2, B27, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) [termed NBF]. This medium can support prolonged self-renewal of hESCs. hESCs cultured in NBF maintain an undifferentiated state and normal karyotype, are able to form embryoid bodies in vitro, and differentiate into three germ layers and extraembryonic cells. Furthermore, we find that hESCs cultured in NBF possess a low apoptosis rate and a high proliferation rate compared with those cultured in MEF-CM. Our findings provide a novel, simplified chemical-defined culture medium suitable for further therapeutic applications and developmental studies of hESCs.
Liu
Yanxia
Y
Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Song
Zhihua
Z
Zhao
Yang
Y
Qin
Han
H
Cai
Jun
J
Zhang
Hong
H
Yu
Tianxin
T
Jiang
Siming
S
Wang
Guangwen
G
Ding
Mingxiao
M
Deng
Hongkui
H
D017209:Apoptosis; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
D003470:Culture Media; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2