title: Culture of mouse embryonic stem cells.
abstract: In this unit standard culture conditions for mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) on primary murine embryonic fibroblast (PMEF or MEF) monolayers, culture conditions without MEF for feeder-independent mESCs, and culture conditions in chemically defined media for both feeder-independent mESCs and feeder-dependent mESCs are described. For expansion of an mESC line, it is crucial that cells maintain their undifferentiated state and their self-renewal capacity, and that they remain karyotypically normal, all of which are necessary for successful chimerization of the germ line upon blastocyst injection. Derivation and culture conditions for the original mESCs have been described (notably Robertson, 1987; Smith, 1991; Nagy et al., 2003), however, as there are more and more mESC lines available, it becomes evident that culture conditions are cell-line specific to some extent, and there is a constant demand for culturing details for mESC lines derived from different mouse strains.
authors.affiliation: Millipore Corporation, Bioscience Division, Billerica, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Gabi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tremml
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malavarca
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D015925:Cryopreservation; D003470:Culture Media; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D044967:Serum
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media