Repro, Maint and Diff hPSC Course

Intended for research scientists transitioning into pluripotent stem cell work, this multi-day hands-on course from STEMCELL Technologies walks attendees through the complete hPSC workflow, from somatic cell reprogramming and feeder-free maintenance to directed differentiation into the three germ lineages. Delivered in a dedicated laboratory classroom, the curriculum combines lectures with live demonstrations and bench practice so participants leave capable of running their own hPSC cultures without compromising pluripotency or genomic integrity.

The reprogramming module uses somatic source populations under TeSR-E7-based conditions, evaluating emergence of TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81 iPSC colonies by immunocytochemistry and tracking marker expression with real-time PCR. The maintenance segment contrasts feeder-dependent and feeder-free cell culture systems, covering matrix coatings such as Vitronectin XF and Corning Matrigel alongside media preparation with mTeSR1 and mTeSR Plus, plus passaging by both manual and enzymatic methods. Daily quality checks with STEMCELL's QC antibodies are introduced, and attendees identify spontaneous differentiation under an inverted microscope.

The differentiation portion is structured around directed differentiation into ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm lineages, with optimization of small-molecule timing and confirmation of outcomes by flow cytometry and immunostaining for markers such as beta-III tubulin, Brachyury, and SOX17. Cryopreservation workflows using CryoStor CS10 are demonstrated on hESC and iPSC lines. A troubleshooting roundtable addresses common contamination and karyotype-loss pitfalls observed in extended culture.

Materials include a printed lab manual aligned to the demonstrated methods, a reagent ordering list, and a certificate of completion. Attendance is aimed at postdocs, core facility staff, and industry research scientists moving into hPSC-based assay development or regenerative medicine projects.