title: Substrates and supplements for hESCs: a critical review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Different laboratories around the world have succeeded in establishing human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. However, culture conditions vary considerably among the protocols used and the vast majority of the lines at some stage of their creation have been in contact with an animal derived component. One of the main problems to be overcome for the generation of a clinical-grade hESC line is the choice of a substrate and medium that allows derivation and culture, where animal derived components are kept to a minimum or completely excluded.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following review describes past and more recent achievements in the creation and culturing of hESC. It describes protocols, giving special attention to the matrices and supplements used for derivation, maintainance and cryostorage, considering whether they included defined, undefined and/or animal-derived components in their formulations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This information shall be useful for the creation and choice of new substrates and supplements for future research in the field of hESC for therapeutic purposes.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Parasitología Mario Fatala Chaben, ANLIS Malbrán, Av. Paseo Colón 568, Buenos Aires, Argentina. melcrocco@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Melisa Candela
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Crocco
authors.forename: Nilo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fratnz
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bos-Mikich
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002460:Cell Line / Q000166:cytology*; D003094:Collagen; D004338:Drug Combinations; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D061252:Feeder Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D003094:Collagen