Adaptation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Feeder-Free Conditions in Chemically Defined Medium with Enzymatic Single-Cell Passaging

This protocol describes the culture of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) under feeder-free conditions in a commercially available, chemically defined, growth medium, using Matrigel as a substrate and the enzyme solution Accutase for single-cell passaging. This system is strikingly different from traditional PSC culture, where the cells are co-cultured with feeder cells and in medium containing serum replacement. PSCs cultured in this new system have a different morphology than those cultured on feeder cells but retain their characteristic pluripotency. This feeder-free PSC culture system is conceptually similar to feeder-free systems that use mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF)-conditioned medium (MEF-CM) and Matrigel substratum. Instead of MEF-CM, a very complex and undefined medium, this new system uses StemPro SFM, a chemically defined medium that permits enzymatic passaging with Accutase to disaggregate the colonies into single cells. Accutase passaging has been used in conjunction with Stempro in our hands for 20+ passages without detectable karyotypic abnormalities. We will also review techniques for adapting cultures previously grown on MEFs, routine passaging of the cells, and cryopreservation.