New Medium from Millipore Maintains the Pluripotency of Embryonic Stem Cells

Millipore Corporation has announced the launch of ESGRO Complete™ PLUS medium, a new and improved medium for feeder- and serum-free culture of murine embryonic stem (ES) cells. The new medium includes the original ESGRO Complete clonal grade formulation, plus a GSK3β inhibitor supplement to help prevent differentiation.

Recent studies have shown that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) inhibitors help maintain pluripotency and self-renewal through the Wnt pathway.1,2 Cells cultured in ESGRO Complete PLUS medium supplemented with the GSK3β inhibitor consistently display better growth characteristics, cell morphology, viability, and proliferation rates when compared with cells cultured in the original ESGRO Complete medium alone.

“The original ESGRO Complete medium revolutionized stem cell research three years ago because it was the first commercially-available media for feeder- and serum-free ES cell culture,” said Amy Noble, the stem cell and cell biology product manager. “Now, the inclusion of the GSK3β inhibitor with ESGRO Complete PLUS medium gives scientists an improved formulation for the maintenance of mouse ES cells in an undifferentiated state without serum and feeder cells.”

The defined, serum-free formulation of ESGRO Complete PLUS medium includes mouse leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), BMP4, and the GSK3β inhibitor at optimized concentrations. This formulation eliminates the inconsistency and expense associated with the use of fetal bovine serum (FBS) and feeder layers, while providing a complete medium that enhances the growth and maintenance of undifferentiated mouse ES cells in controlled conditions.