Suspension Culture of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
AssigneeAsterias Biotherapeutics, Inc.
InventorsRamkumar Mandalam, Yan Li, Isabelle Nadeau-Demers
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Abstract
This disclosure provides an improved system for culturing human embryonic stem cells. The cells are cultured in suspension so as to maximize the production capacity of the culture environment. The new culture system of this invention allows for bulk proliferation of hES cells in a more cost-effective manner, which facilitates commercial production of important products for use in human therapy.
Claims20
A culture of human embryonic stem (hES) cells in suspension, wherein the hES cells are substantially undifferentiated.
The culture of any preceding claim, wherein the cells are cultured in a medium containing one or more soluble or suspended extracellular matrix components.
The culture of any preceding claim, wherein the cells are cultured in suspension with solid microparticle.
The culture of claim 7, wherein the microparticle are coated with one or more soluble or suspended extracellular matrix components.
A method for culturing hES cells, comprising:
- a) suspending the cells in a nutrient medium;
- b) maintaining the cells in suspension while culturing;
- c) changing the medium periodically;
- d) optionally splitting the culture from time to time so as to reduce cell density;
- and finally
- e) harvesting cells from the culture.
A system or kit for culturing hES cells in suspension, comprising a nutrient medium that contains at least 40 ng/mL fibroblast growth factor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.