title: A stable chimeric fibroblast growth factor (FGF) can successfully replace basic FGF in human pluripotent stem cell culture.
abstract: Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are essential for maintaining self-renewal in human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Recombinant basic FGF (bFGF or FGF2) is conventionally used to culture pluripotent stem cells; however, because of the instability of bFGF, repeated addition of fresh bFGF into the culture medium is required in order to maintain its concentration. In this study, we demonstrate that a heat-stable chimeric variant of FGF, termed FGFC, can be successfully used for maintaining human pluripotent stem cells. FGFC is a chimeric protein composed of human FGF1 and FGF2 domains that exhibits higher thermal stability and protease resistance than do both FGF1 and FGF2. Both human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells were maintained in ordinary culture medium containing FGFC instead of FGF2. Comparison of cells grown in FGFC with those grown in conventional FGF2 media showed no significant differences in terms of the expression of pluripotency markers, global gene expression, karyotype, or differentiation potential in the three germ lineages. We therefore propose that FGFC may be an effective alternative to FGF2, for maintenance of human pluripotent stem cells.
authors: Research Center for Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan.
authors: Yasuko
authors: Y
authors: Onuma
authors: Research Center for Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan.
authors: Kumiko
authors: K
authors: Higuchi
authors: Research Center for Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan.
authors: Yasuhiko
authors: Y
authors: Aiki
authors: Research Center for Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan.
authors: Yujing
authors: Y
authors: Shu
authors: Signaling Molecules Research Group, Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan.
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Asada
authors: Research Center for Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan.
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Asashima
authors: Research Center for Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan; Signaling Molecules Research Group, Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan; Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512, Japan.
authors: Masashi
authors: M
authors: Suzuki
authors: Signaling Molecules Research Group, Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan; Cell Regulation Laboratory, School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, 1404-1 Katakura Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0982, Japan.
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Imamura
authors: Research Center for Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan.
authors: Yuzuru
authors: Y
authors: Ito
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors