Standardized QC workflow for analyzing the quality and differentiation potential of human iPSCs

Human induced pluripotent stem cells hiPSCs derived from human somatic cells have given scientists new opportunities to model and investigate human diseases, and to develop new therapeutics The routine use of hiPSCs and functional cells derived from hiPSCs in high throughput applications for drug discovery will require a constant supply of pluripotent, well characterized and quality controlled cell stocks However, the lack of standardized quality control of IPSC hinders laboratory efficiency and experimental reproducibility We have established a workflow to monitor hiPSC morphology and proliferation using longitudinal time lapse imaging, coupled with assessment of pluripotency through immunofluorescence staining and qPCR analysis of pluripotency markers We also assess embryoid body (formation and differentiation into three germ layers by qPCR and IF staining, and karyotypic abnormalities by qPCR