Graph showing process of isolating somatic cells and taking them through the process of reprogramming, gene editing, then to either gene editing and genome edited iPSCs or differentiation of neural progenitor cells, cardiomyocytes, microglia, and brain organoids

Services


Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have multiple applications in modeling diseases, drug discovery and screening, toxicological studies and cell therapy, paving the way towards personalized medicine. Emory Stem Cell core provides important support to investigators in Emory University, state of Georgia and beyond. Our services include:

  • Somatic cells reprogramming to iPSCs
  • Differentiation of iPSCs to various cell types
  • Genome editing in human iPSCs

Somatic cells isolation and storage

  • peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)
  • fibroblasts
  • urine-derived cells

The somatic cells will be frozen and stored in ESCC liquid nitrogen tanks. They can be thawed and expanded upon request for downstream experiments.

Reprogramming of somatic cells to iPSCs

We are using the Sendai virus or episomal vectors to reprogram the somatic cells to iPSCs. After reprogramming, 10 clones will be isolated per cell line and stored.

iPSCs characterization

  • Expression of markers of undifferentiated status: Oct4, Sox2, SSEA4, TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81
  • Clearance of Sendai virus from passage 10 iPSCs
  • Capacity to differentiate to all germ lines (endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm)
  • Karyotyping for genetic stability (G-banding by WiCell or KaryoStat+ by Thermo Fisher Scientific)
  • Mycoplasma testing prior to iPSCs release from ESCC lab

iPSC differentiation into 2D models:

  • Neural progenitor cells (NPC)
  • Microglia
  • Endothelial cells
  • Cardiomyocytes
  • Future services: neurons, astrocytes

iPSC differentiation into 3D models:

  • Brain organoids
  • Organ-on-chip (OoC) consultation (development and application)
  • Future services: intestinal/lung organoids

This service includes the generation of gene edited iPSC pool using CRISPR-Cas9, cloning of cell pool and clones genotyping (in collaboration with Emory Integrated Genomics Core). Two clones will be expanded (at least 6 vials) to be used for future experiments.