Modified Hyaluronan Hydrogels Support the Maintenance of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells and Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

摘要

These studies provide evidence for the ability of a commercially available, defined, hyaluronan-gelatin hydrogel, HyStem-C?, to maintain both mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in culture while retaining their growth and pluripotent characteristics. Growth curve and doubling time analysis show that mESCs and hiPSCs grow at similar rates on HyStem-C? hydrogels and mouse embryonic fibroblasts and Matrigel?, respectively. Immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, gene expression and karyotyping reveal that both human and murine pluripotent cells retain a high level of pluripotency on the hydrogels after multiple passages. The addition of fibronectin to HyStem-C? enabled the attachment of hiPSCs in a xeno-free, fully defined medium. Animal-free culture methods that retain pluripotent characteristics of stem cells are needed in order to realize the clinical potential of pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives. Our work shows the benefits of commercially available hyaluronan hydrogels to support the maintenance and pluripotency of both mouse embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells throughout prolonged culture.