title: Comparison of a xeno-free and serum-free culture system for human embryonic stem cells with conventional culture systems.
abstract: Elimination of all animal components during derivation and long-term culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is necessary for future applications of hESCs in clinical cell therapy.
  
  
  
  In this study, we established the culture system of xeno-free human foreskin fibroblast feeders (XF-HFF) in combination with chemically defined medium (CDM). XF-HFF/CDM was compared with several conventional culture systems. The hESCs cultured in different media were further characterized through karyotype analysis, pluripotency gene expression, and cell differentiation ability.
  
  
  
  The hESCs in the XF-HFF/CDM maintained their characteristics including typical morphology and stable karyotype. In addition, hESCs were characterized by fluorescent immunostaining of pluripotent markers and teratoma formation in vivo. RT-PCR analysis shown that the stem cell markers OCT3/4, hTERT, SOX2, and Nanog were present in the cell line hESC-1 grown on XF-HFF/CDM. Furthermore, the results of cell growth and expression of bFGF, Oct-4, and hTERT indicated that XF-HFF/CDM had better performance than human serum-matrix/CDM and XF-HFF/human serum.
  
  
  
  The comparison of different xeno-free culture conditions will facilitate clarifying the key features of self-renewal, pluripotency, and derivation and will shed light on clinic applications of hESCs.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qingyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chenhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mengxi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China. zhoucanquan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Canquan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China. xuyanwen@live.cn.
authors.forename: Yanwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D052816:Foreskin / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D000066449:Human Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D059785:Karyotype; D008297:Male; D044967:Serum / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003470:Culture Media
keywords: Chemically defined medium; Human embryonic stem cell; Human foreskin fibroblast cells; Xeno-free and serum-free culture system