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CombiCult™ is compatible with embryonic (e.g. hES, mES), adult (e.g. MSC) and induced pluripotent (iPS) stem cells, and can be deployed in a wide range of applications throughout the stem cell field including;

  • Discovering novel stem cell differentiation protocols
  • Reducing the time and cost of stem cell differentiation
  • Eliminating serum or growth factors from differentiation protocols
  • Directing differentiation using small molecules
  • Increasing the efficiency of differentiation protocols
  • Gaining freedom to operate through new IP
  • Identifying the optimal cell line for differentiation

"

Using CombiCult™'s combinatorial technology, we identified several differentiation protocols for our cells at a fraction of the time, resources and cost compared to conventional trial-and-error methods."

– Randall Rupp, Vice-President, Manufacturing
    and Development, Stemnion, Inc

Example application: osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

Objective
Perform a CombiCult™ screen to identify new and improved serum-free protocols for differentiation of primary
human mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) to osteochondral lineages.



Screen
A CombiCult™ screen comprising 15 serum-free media in 3,375 (153) combinations.

diagram




diagram

Results
Validation and refinement of serum-free differentiation protocols determined by CombiCult™ resulted in identification of protocols that drive rapid MSC differentiation to mineralizing osteocytes.

The novel protocols are more effective than commercially available media formulations, most of which contain serum, and give consistent results across multiple cell lines.

Aizarin red staining of MSC cultures differentiated for 28 days; cell lines 1-3: bone marrow-derived MSC, cell line 4: adipose-derivied MSC.