Feeder Cells

The growth of stem cells in culture requires certain nutrients that support the cells in an undifferentiated state. Such additions as Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) work for the culture of mouse ES cells, but may not have the same effect on human ES cells. In this case, the use of a feeder cell layer is often used.

We offer three types of feeder cells:

• MEF Feeder Cells are mouse embroynic fibrobasts that have been traditionally used for years to promote stem cell culture. Our MEF cells are not primary cells and can typically be passaged approximately 6 weeks without becoming senescent.
• SNL 76/7 Feeder Cells are clonally derived from a mouse fibrobast STO cell line which has been transformed with neomycin resistance and murine LIF genes. This immortalized cell line has been shown to be useful as a feeder cell for ES cell growth as well as for culture of human and mouse iPS cells.