As research with stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) forges ahead, a growing number of "stem cell beginners" are joining a field long-dominated by a small cabal of experts. Techniques for inducing pluripotency are rapidly evolving, but researchers working with already-pluripotent cell lines must navigate the tricky waters of maintaining culture conditions for growth and differentiation.
"There's no point where these cells become routine," says Meri Firpo, a stem cell biologist from the University of Minnesota. "You really have to evaluate them all the time." Whether you're working with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or human iPS cells (hiPSCs), you'll need to plate and replate the cells for months to keep them from spontaneously differentiating.
For new researchers receiving their first batch of cells frozen on the brink of differentiation, "you have to set aside all of your pre-formed notions about doing mammalian cell culture," says Travis Berggren, ...
