MEFs

• Support: Feeder cells provide a supportive environment for the growth and maintenance of pluripotent stem cells. They secrete various factors and provide physical support that helps stem cells remain undifferentiated and proliferative.
  Nutrient Supply: Feeder cells supply essential nutrients to the stem cells, promoting their growth and survival in culture. This includes growth factors, cytokines, and other signaling molecules that regulate stem cell behavior.
• Inhibition of Differentiation: Feeder cells produce factors that inhibit the spontaneous differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. This helps maintain the stem cell population in an undifferentiated state, preserving their ability to differentiate into various cell types when directed.
• Adhesion: Feeder cells form a substrate to which pluripotent stem cells can adhere. This anchorage promotes cell-cell interactions and provides stability to the culture, preventing stem cells from detaching and undergoing apoptosis.

Feeder cells are typically derived from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) obtained from the inner cell mass of early mouse embryos. These cells are cultured and treated to prevent them from dividing, ensuring that they provide a stable support layer without overgrowing the stem cell culture.

We have MEF feeder cells available:

CF-1, DR4, neo-resistent, and SNL 76/7 (STO Line)

Moving Beyond Feeder Cells: Advancements in Pluripotent Stem Cell Culture

During the last decades it was realized that the use of feeder cells has some limitations and drawbacks, including the risk of contamination with mouse pathogens and the potential for variability between batches. As a result, in addition feeder-free culture systems and synthetic substrates have been developed as alternatives for stem cell culture, offering more defined and reproducible conditions for stem cell expansion and differentiation.