Pluripotent Stem Cell Product Guide - Thermo Fisher Scientific

ReprogrammingCytoTune-iPS 2.0 Sendai Reprogramming KitAReprogramming on rhVTN-NReprogramming efficiency (%)3.0Why CytoTune-iPSSendai Reprogramming? High success 2.5rates for both fibroblast and blood reprogramming [1]2.0 Scalable cell line generation with minimal hands-on time1.5 Rapid clearanceof RNA vectors1.0 Transition from0.5research to clinical applications with minimal effort 0.0 CTS CytoTune -iPS 2.1 Sendai Reprogramming Kitusing InvitrogenStemFlexmTeSR1Essential 8Essential 8 Flex(page 57)Xeno-free mediumFibroblast donor 1 (HDFa)Fibroblast donor 2 (HDFa)Get more information on CytoTune reprogramming atthermofisher.com/cytotuneBSA-containing mediumFibroblast donor 3 (HDFn)RepReprogramming efficiency (%)Reprogramming efficiency (%)3.02.52.01.51.00.50.0Essential 8Essential 8 FlexStemFlexXeno-free mediumFibroblast donor 1 (HDFa)B2.52.01.51.00.50.0mTeSR1Essential 8BSA-containing mediumFibroblast donor 2 (HDFa)Xeno-free mFibroblast donor 3 (HDFn)Fibroblast donor 1 (HDFReprogramming on a Geltrex matrix3.0Reprogramming efficiency (%)Highest success rate among nonintegratingreprogramming technologiesThe Invitrogen CytoTune -iPS 2.0 Sendai Reprogramming Kit containsthree vectors and requires only one overnight incubation compared to multipledays of transductions required for mRNA reprogramming. The kit containsa polycistronic vector, which offers high reprogramming efficiency of up to2% (Figure 1). This polycistronic vector has a different backbone containingtemperature-sensitive mutations in polymerase-related genes, which helpsto clear the virus faster after reprogramming and causes less cytotoxicity tothe cells.Reprogramming on rhVTN-N3.02.52.01.51.00.50.0Essential 8Essential 8 FlexXeno-free mediumFibroblast donor 1 (HDFa)StemFlexmTeSR1BSA-containing mediumFibroblast donor 2 (HDFa)Fibroblast donor 3 (HDFn)Figure 1. Reprogramming efficiency of human dermal fibroblasts using feeder-free mediumconditions on Gibco Geltrex and rhVTN-N substrates. Fibroblasts from three donors, two adultand one neonatal, were transduced using the CytoTune-iPS 2.0 Sendai Reprogramming Kit. Onday 7, 50,000 viable cells were transferred per well of a 6-well plate onto either (A) rhVTN-N or (B)Geltrex matrices, and from day 8 onward, were either fed daily with Gibco Essential 8 Medium ormTeSR 1 Medium, or every other day with Gibco Essential 8 Flex Medium or StemFlex Medium.On day 21, alkaline phosphatase staining was completed, and colony counting was performed usingthe IncuCyte ZOOM System to determine the reprogramming efficiency (percentage reprogrammingefficiency colonies counted/50,000 viable cells seeded x 100; n 3 per condition). BSA bovineserum albuminReprogramming8

ReprogrammingTable 3. Somatic cell types that have been successfully reprogrammed with CytoTune kits.HumanNonhumanDental pulp stem cellsMammary epithelial cellsNasal epithelial cellsPBMCsSkeletal myoblastsAdult and neonatal dermal fibroblastsAmniotic fluid MSCsCardiac fibroblastsCD34 blood cellsConjunctival cellsT cellsUmbilical vein epithelial cellsEpithelial cells in urineCanine fibroblastsChimpanzee peripheral mononuclear cellsMacaque dermal fibroblastsMouse embryonic fibroblastsNorthern white rhinoceros fibroblastsRhesus monkey dermal fibroblastsFind publications citing Sendai virus for iPSC generation at 002000rhVTN-NrhLaminin-521Figure 2. Improvement of feeder-free reprogramming efficiency using alternative matrices or addition of Gibco RevitaCell Supplement on day 7 transfer. Feeder-free reprogramming of Gibco Human Dermal Fibroblasts, neonatal (HDFn) was completedusing the CytoTune-iPS 2.0 Sendai Reprogramming Kit at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 5:5:3. On day 7 post-transduction,reprogrammed fibroblasts were transferred to a rhVTN-N matrix in growth medium in (A) the absence and (B) the presence ofRevitaCell Supplement for 24 hours post-transfer, followed by daily feeding with Essential 8 Medium alone. (C) Alternatively, cells can betransferred to rhLaminin-521 on day 7 to boost efficiency of reprogramming. Need even better reprogramming efficiency?Supplement PSC culture media on day 7 of reprogramming withRevitaCell Supplement or, alternatively, transfer cells to a rhLaminin-521matrix on day 7 of reprogramming (Figure 2).Characterization toolsBAlkaline phosphatase–positive coloniesAAlkaline Phosphatase Live StainInvitrogen Alkaline Phosphatase LiveStain is used for stem cell imaging thatallows you to differentially stain PSCs.The dye is a cell-permeant fluorescentsubstrate for alkaline phosphatase (AP)that is nontoxic to cells, diffusing awayover the course of 2 hours.Find out more atthermofisher.com/aplivestainLive-cell immunostainingMore specific cell staining can be achievedusing antibodies against establishedmarkers. Surface proteins such aspositive and negative PSC markers areparticularly useful.Find out more atthermofisher.com/pscimmunokitsPluripotent stem cell guidebook9

PSC culture10

PSC culturePluripotent stem cell cultureWe recognize and understand the preparation that goes into generating PSCs. We know that PSC researchrequires careful attention to culture conditions to enable successful results. From media and reagents forfeeder-dependent and feeder-free systems to those designed to support cell therapy research, Gibco products deliver culture with confidence.Find the right PSC media for your research at thermofisher.com/psccultureSupport resources View stem cell culture protocols atthermofisher.com/pscprotocols Access PSC culture how-to videos atthermofisher.com/stemcellhowtoTable 4. Gibco media systems for PSC culture.Feeder-dependent cultureFeeder-free cultureSuspension cultureMediumKnockOut SerumReplacementStemFlex MediumEssential 8 MediumEssential 8 Flex MediumCTS Essential 8 MediumStemScale PSC SuspensionMediumIdeal forFeeder-based human PSCculture, reprogramming, geneediting, and differentiationRobust maintenance ofPSC cultures, especiallywhen using difficult cell linesor performing single-cellpassaging and gene editingRoutine and consistent PSCexpansion and maintenanceRoutine PSC culture withflexible feeding scheduleTranslational or clinicalresearch applicationsRobust expansion of PSCs insuspension cultureDefinedAnimal-origin components(BSA)Animal-origin components(BSA)Xeno-freeXeno-freeComponents not directlyderived from animalsAnimal-origin componentsRecommended cell typesHuman PSCsHuman PSCsHuman PSCsHuman PSCsHuman PSCsHuman PSCsWeekend-free feedingscheduleNoYesYes, Essential 8 Flex MediumYesNoYesGenome dGoodGoodBestmouse embryonic fibroblastsand attachment factorGeltrex matrixVitronectin (VTN-N)Recombinant Human ProteinVitronectin (VTN-N)Recombinant Human ProteinCTS Vitronectin (VTN-N)Recombinant Human llagenase IVVersene SolutionVersene SolutionVersene SolutionCTS Versene SolutionNot recommendedNAStemPro Accutase CellDissociation Reagent,RevitaCell Supplement helpfulbut not requiredStemPro Accutase CellDissociation Reagentwith addition of RevitaCellSupplement recommendedduring the first 18–24hours post-passage forimproved recoveryStemPro Accutase CellDissociation Reagent withRevitaCell SupplementStemPro Accutase CellDissociation Reagent wthaddition of CTS RevitaCellSupplement recommendedduring the first 18–24hours post-passage forimproved recoveryStemPro Accutase CellDissociation ReagentNATrypLE Select Enzyme,RevitaCell Supplementhelpful but not requiredduring recovery if usingrhLaminin-521TrypLE Select Enzyme withRevitaCell Supplementadded to the mediumduring the first 18–24hours post-passage forimproved recoveryTrypLE Select Enzyme withRevitaCell SupplementCTS TrypLE Select Enzymewith CTS RevitaCellSupplement added to themedium during the first18–24 hours post-passage forimproved recoveryTrypLE Select Enzyme withDNase or StemPro AccutaseCell Dissociation ReagentRecommended matrixClumpRecommendedlevel ofdissociation andpassaging reagentSmallclusterSinglecellrhLaminin-521Need help growing and banking your iPSC line?The team of dedicated stem cell scientists at Thermo Fisher Scientific can help you create your iPSCbanks using the latest Gibco media. See the section starting on page 58 for all of our stem cell services.Pluripotent stem cell guidebook11

PSC culture1201.00.50.0 Easy adaptation from other media systems with no optimization oradditional reagents required (Figure 4) Use when you need a robust formulation for everyday cultureDDAPI806040402020010 010 4StemFlex MediumC10 410 210 2100CountCount8060mTeSR1 MediumStemFlex MediumStemFlex MediumUnstained Unstained120100Why StemFlex Medium? Superior performance in gene editing, single-cell passaging, and otherstressful applications (see pages 34–37)Fibroblast donor #1Fibroblast donor #2Fibroblast donor #31.5101010102 0 10103 1 10104 2 10105 3 10106 4BL1-H BL1-HSox110 5FL2-HB2.0FL2-HAEnhanced flexibility and superior performance in today’s stemcell applicationsStemFlex Medium supports the robust expansion of feeder-free PSCs andis optimized to deliver superior performance in novel applications, includingsingle-cell passaging, gene editing, and reprogramming. Its unique formulationoffers the convenience of a flexible feeding schedule (including weekend-freeoptions) and the ability to choose the matrix and passaging reagent thatbest suits specific applications. StemFlex Medium maintains cells’ ability todifferentiate into all three germ layers and enables the long-term feeder-freeculture of PSCs without karyotypic abnormalities, for up to 50 passages(Figures 3 and 6).Reprogramming efficiency (%)StemFlex Medium10 210 210110110 010 610 010 01 010102 110103 210104 3101010 4FL4-H: CXCR4FL4-H: APCCXCR4 APCNestinMerge Great for difficult cell linesFind out more about StemFlex Medium at thermofisher.com/stemflexFigure 3. StemFlex Medium provides a robust formulation that can be applied acrossthe entire PSC workflow—from somatic cell reprogramming (A) through downstreamdifferentiation (B–D). When compared to traditional feeder-free media like mTeSR1, StemFlexMedium delivers superior performance across the workflow with the added benefit of enhancedflexibility. Following up to 50 passages on a weekend-free feeding schedule, PSCs expanded inStemFlex Medium maintain the ability to differentiate into: (B) mesoderm, as shown by expressionof TNNT2 following differentiation using the Gibco PSC Cardiomyocyte Differentiation Kit; (C)endoderm, as shown by the CXCR4 , PDGFRα – phenotype following differentiation using the Gibco PSC Definitive Endoderm Induction Kit; and (D) ectoderm, as shown by expression of Sox1 andnestin following differentiation using Gibco PSC Neural Induction Medium.PSC culture12

PSC cultureClump passage with EDTA orVersene SolutionSeed into StemFlex Medium on arhVTN-N or Geltrex matrix120CDAPIClump passage with EDTA orVersene SolutionOct4PSCs adapted toStemFlex MediumMergerhVTN-N80Geltrex matrix60rhVTN-N10040200020406080100120Time post-passaging (h)Geltrex matrixBCell line established in mTeSR1 mediumon a Matrigel matrixConfluency monitored with theIncuCyte ZOOM System (%)AFigure 4. Adaptation of PSCs from mTeSR1 Medium on a Matrigel matrix to StemFlex Medium on a Geltrex matrix or rhVTN-N substrate. (A) Existing PSC lines in mTeSR1 Medium can be easilytransitioned to StemFlex Medium following a minimum of two passages for full adaptation. (B, C) Cells grow well and exhibit high expression of Oct4 whether on a rhVTN-N substrate or a Geltrex matrix.Pro tips Allow at least two passages in StemFlex Medium for full adaptation (Figure 4) For frozen vials, thaw into original medium and substrate, then transition into StemFlex Medium– Alternatively, cryopreserved PSC stocks that easily recover from cryopreservation can be thaweddirectly into StemFlex Medium; however, some cell lines may benefit from one passage in theoriginal culture system prior to transitionPluripotent stem cell guidebook13

PSC cultureWeekend-free feeding with Gibco PSC mediaEliminate daily feeding schedules with confidenceTraditional methods of culturing PSCs require that the cultures be fed daily due to the heat sensitivity ofkey factors such as FGF-2. Typically, the occasional weekend off is allowed by adjusting the protocol andhoping there is minimal impact to the pluripotency of the cultures from skipping a few days. To address thisweakness in the PSC culture workflow, we have created two unique formulations, Essential 8 Flex Mediumand StemFlex Medium. Maintain pluripotency more consistently by stabilizing heat-sensitive components likeFGF-2 (Figures 5 and 6)Essential 8 Flex MediumMorphologyEssential 8 Flex and StemFlex media: Contain wild-type FGF-2StemFlex Medium Reduce media consumption by up to 30% and thus also reduce costs compared to traditionalfeeder-free mediaKaryotype Allow for skipping up to 2 consecutive days for a total of 3 “feeding-free” days in a week (Figure 7)Figure 5. Stability of FGF-2 in StemFlex and Essential8 Flex media. Both StemFlex and Essential 8 Flex mediaprovide prolonged FGF-2 stability when incubated at 37 C,5% CO2, allowing for flexible feeding schedules, including theweekend-free option—eliminating daily feeding requirements.100mTeSR1Essential 8Essential 8 FlexStemFlex402002040Time at 37 C (h)6080PSC marker expressionFGF-2 concentration relative to t0 (%)Find out more about these media at thermofisher.com/stemflex and thermofisher.com/essential8flexFigure 6. Long-term maintenance of pluripotency inweekend-free feeding schedules. PSCs exhibit normalmorphology, karyotype, and expression of pluripotent stemcell markers following 50 passages in StemFlex Medium on aGeltrex matrix (left) and in Essential 8 Flex Medium on a Gibco vitronectin matrix (right).PSC culture14

Day13dP F4dP F5dPassage every X daysPassage schedulePSC culture5 d*6d6 d*7d7 d*7 d*P Passage234P156Repeat every 3 daysFP1P FFP F 2F*FP FP FFFF Feed 2F* Double feed*SkipP3P3P2Repeat every 5 daysP2Repeat every 6 daysP1Repeat every 6 daysP1P1P1FP4P2Repeat every 5 daysP1F2F*9 10 11 12 13 14P2P1F 2F*2F*8Repeat every 4 daysP FP FP F7P1P2P2Repeat every 7 daysRepeat every 7 daysSuggested weekend-free scheduleRepeat every 7 days* Double feed required to “skip” two consecutive days. For best results, keep the passage schedule consistent.Figure 7. Alternative feed schedules for StemFlex and Essential 8 Flex media. Note: It is also possible to skip feeding the day after passaging if ROCK inhibitor is not added during passaging.Pluripotent stem cell guidebook15

PSC cultureStemScale PSC Suspension MediumGibco StemScale PSC Suspension Medium supports the growth of PSCs in suspension through theself-assembly of spheroids. The unique formulation of StemScale medium provides superior expansion(Figure 8), while maintaining high viability and consistent spheroid formation across multiple PSC lines.Simplified medium exchange and passaging workflows offer scalability in different formats and flexibility infeeding schedule (Figure 9). Pluripotent stem cells expanded in StemScale medium maintain pluripotencyand normal karyotype across multiple passages and can be differentiated to the three germ layers.Why choose StemScale medium? Expansion capability—delivers 5–10 foldexpansion per passage and 3 times theexpansion of other media Workflow—easy media changes andpassaging protocols allow for scaling acrossmultiple vessel typesSuperior expansion capabilityStemScale medium450404003535030025020015010015100100150 50% medium replacement—prevents wasteaccumulation and contributes to consistentspheroid size205Days in culture Flexible feeding schedule—skip feedingdays; passage as early as day 325050Medium M30500 Consistency across cell lines—reliableand consistent spheroid formation andmaintenance of pluripotency across multiplePSC linesFold change (3-passage summary)Cumulative fold changeCumulative fold changeLong-term culture summary—6-well platesGibco Episomal iPSCs02468101214 Straightforward passaging protocol—noneed for cell strainers, amenable to scale upDays in cultureFigure 8. Scaling expansion using StemScale medium. After 30 passages and 20 weeks in culture, StemScale medium deliversgreater than 10x cell expansion per passage (left plot). When compared with another commercially available medium for PSCsuspension culture, StemScale medium delivers up to 3x the expansion capability across the same period (right plot).Find out more at thermofisher.com/stemscalePSC culture16

PSC cultureSuperior workflowDay 0Day 1FeedDay 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7Skip feedingFeedPassageFeedSkip feedingPassageDissociate adherent culture and seed in StemScale mediumFigure 9. Simplified workflow (schematic). Easily adopt adherent cultures to suspension cultures using StemScale medium. StemScale medium enables users to skip feeding days, ifdesired. After initiation of cultures in StemScale medium, Gibco Episomal iPSCs are fed periodically using a 50% medium exchange, every day or every other day.Expansion across multiple cell lines and vessel typesCell expansion—Nalgene flasksSpheroid diameter during expansion500Fold change1510530015Fold changeSpheroid diameter (µm)04002001000Day 3Day 4Days in cultureDay 5125 mL flask250 mL flask500 mL flask1,000 mL flaskCell expansion—multiple vessels10506-well plate125 mLshake flask100 mLbioreactor500 mLbioreactorFigure 10. Suspension vs. adherent culture systems. Scale-up in suspension culture systems using StemScale PSC SuspensionMedium vs. scale-up in adherent culture systems.Pluripotent stem cell guidebook17

PSC cultureEssential 8 MediumDefined and consistent stem-cell culture conditionsEssential 8 Medium is a feeder-free, xeno-free medium originally developed in the laboratory of stem cellresearch pioneer James Thomson. Essential 8 Medium contains only the 8 essential components neededto grow and expand PSCs, while other feeder-free stem cell media contain 20 or more components in theirformulations (Table 6). These other feeder-free media may adequately grow and maintain PSCs, but theyalso contain many variables and commonly exhibit lot-to-lot inconsistencies. By removing highly undefinedproteins and components (such as BSA) and including only the ingredients necessary for PSC culture,Essential 8 Medium helps minimize variability in culture.Why Essential 8 Medium? Know what’s in your media formulation and, more importantly, what’s not No BSA or HSA Modular options to maximize application performance (Table 5) Cell therapy formulation available for clinical or translational research applications (page 56)Find out more about the variations of Essential 8 Medium at thermofisher.com/essential8mediaTable 5. Essential 8 media formulations designed for a wide variety of applications.ApplicationRecommended medium Recommended pairingsRoutine PSC expansion and maintenanceEssential 8 Medium orEssential 8 Flex MediumVitronectin (VTN-N) Recombinant Human ProteinEssential 8 Adaptation KitKit includes rhLaminin-521Superior recovery during transition to a defined, feeder-freeculture systemPSC expansion and maintenance with flexible feeding scheduleEssential 8 Flex MediumEssential 8 Medium orOptimum reprogramming of somatic cells due to elimination of BSAEssential 8 Flex MediumEssential 8 Medium orStressful applications in a defined media systemEssential 8 Flex MediumEmbryoid body (EB) formation and directed differentiationEssential 6 MediumClinical applicationsCTS Essential 8 MediumVitronectin (VTN-N) Recombinant Human ProteinCytoTune-iPS 2.0 Sendai Reprogramming KitRevitaCell SupplementrhLaminin-521Nunclon Sphera PlatesRevitaCell SupplementCTS Vitronectin MatrixCTS CytoTune-iPS 2.1 Sendai Reprogramming KitTable 6. Defined formulation of Essential

Weekend-free feeding with Gibco PSC media 14 StemScale PSC Suspension Medium 16 Essential 8 Medium Types of characterization and analysis tools18 KnockOut Serum Replacement 19 PSC cryopreservation 20 Cell culture plastics 21 Cell culture plastics product selection guide 22 Transfection 23 Transfection product selection guide 24