title: A simplified culture and polymerase chain reaction identification assay for quality control performance testing of stem cell media products.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the growing use of stem cell media technologies in research and clinical settings, there has been an increased demand for validated cell-based quality control tools that can first, routinely test performance of stem cell media products, second, verify stem cell line identity, and third, demonstrate differentiation potential. As a significant amount of time and effort is required to verify these aspects separately, especially with classic functional stains that take as along as 28 days to perform, there is a need for a quick, sensitive and validated assay with short turn around time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Culture, gene microarray and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodologies were utilized in the design, development and testing of a standardized performance assay for the expansion, identity and differentiation potential of human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A simplified culture- and PCR-based assay was validated and transferred into a quality control setting for performance testing of human MSC under uninduced and adipogenesis-induced conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An effective strategy has been demonstrated for identifying candidate genes, validating a gene of interest and creating an inexpensive low-technology PCR assay for distinguishing uninduced and early stage differentiating stem cells. This approach extends published criteria guidelines for routinely detecting uninduced human MSC and their differentiated progeny.
authors.affiliation: Life Technologies, Primary and Stem Cell Systems, Frederick, Maryland 21704,USA. shayne.boucher@invitrogen.com
authors.forename: Shayne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: Uma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lakshmipathy
authors.forename: Mohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vemuri
mesh_terms: D050156:Adipogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D003470:Culture Media / Q000032:analysis; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011786:Quality Control; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; C493410:FABP4 protein, human; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins