ATCC-iPSC and related reagents

Introduction

Human somatic cells can be genetically reprogrammed to become embryonic stem cell-like by introducing combinations of genes typically expressed during early embryogenesis. These reprogrammed cells are known as iPSCs.¹ Questions remain, particularly about what clinical differences there are between iPSCs and ESCs. However, the versatility to create patient-specific iPSC lines and the ability to culture and differentiate them to a specific lineage gives the cells great potential for developmental and tissue differentiation studies, epigenetics, disease-modeling, drug development, and regenerative medicine.

iPSC Reprogramming Methods:
The introduction of the OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and MYC genes (commonly known as the “Yamanaka factors”) is necessary to convert cells from post-natal tissues into iPSCs. Commonly employed methods for forced expression of these genes into cells are episomal plasmid, retroviral, and Sendai (RNA-based) virus. Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages, as described below:

• Episomal Expression: Recent improvements on this technique include the development of non-integrating episomes (high-expression plasmids). This technique has a lower reprogramming efficiency.²
• Retroviral Expression: This was the original method developed by Yamanaka and colleagues. While it offers the advantage of high reprogramming efficiency, the retroviral expression method leaves a genomic footprint.²
• Sendai Virus Expression: This technique offers the advantage of a high reprogramming efficiency and is not likely to leave a genomic footprint because the virus is non-integrating.²

ATCC Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines

Substantial variation in the differentiation potential has been reported between iPSC lines.³ Many factors could contribute to the variation, such as the genetic background of the original material, reprogramming methods, genomic foot-prints, and culture conditions. Consequently, utilization of reference iPSC lines is important to iPSC-related research. ATCC offers a wide variety of frozen iPSCs (see Appendix) that are reprogrammed using all three reprogramming methods, including those derived from the skin, liver, heart, and bone marrow of normal tissue donors and donors with Parkinson’s disease, Down syndrome, and cystic fibrosis. ATCC iPSCs are well-characterized, robust, and are frozen at a low passage number. Further, ATCC iPSC lines have been fully characterized for the expression of pluripotent markers, differentiation potential for the three germ layers (ectoderm, endoderm, mesoderm), and karyotypic stability. These iPSC lines are optimized for use in feeder-free, serum-free culture, but they can be easily adapted for use in feeder- dependent cell culture systems.

ATCC is a licensee of iPS Academia Japan’s induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell patent portfolio and is able to bring complete cell culturing solutions for iPSCs to the research community.

Learn more: Stem Cell Culture Guide | ATCC