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MethoCultâ„¢ GF M3434

Methylcellulose-based medium with recombinant cytokines (including EPO) for mouse cells

MethoCultâ„¢ GF M3434

Methylcellulose-based medium with recombinant cytokines (including EPO) for mouse cells

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Methylcellulose-based medium with recombinant cytokines (including EPO) for mouse cells
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Overview

MethoCultâ„¢ GF M3434 is optimized for the growth and enumeration of hematopoietic progenitor cells in colony-forming unit (CFU) assays of mouse bone marrow, spleen, peripheral blood, and fetal liver cells. MethoCultâ„¢ GF M3434 has been formulated to support optimal growth of primitive erythroid progenitor cells (BFU-E), granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM, CFU-G and CFU-M), and multi-potential granulocyte, erythroid, macrophage, megakaryocyte progenitor cells (CFU-GEMM). This formulation is compatible with ³§°Õ·¡²Ñ±¹¾±²õ¾±´Ç²Ôâ„¢ software for automated colony counting of mouse bone marrow CFU assays.

Browse our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on performing the CFU assay.
Contains
• Methylcellulose in Iscove's MDM
• Fetal bovine serum
• Bovine serum albumin
• Recombinant human insulin
• Human transferrin (iron-saturated)
• 2-Mercaptoethanol
• Recombinant mouse stem cell factor (SCF)
• Recombinant mouse interleukin 3 (IL-3)
• Recombinant human interleukin 6 (IL-6)
• Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO)
• Supplements
Subtype
Semi-Solid Media, Specialized Media
Cell Type
Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells
Species
Mouse
Application
Cell Culture, Colony Assay, Functional Assay
Brand
MethoCult
Area of Interest
Stem Cell Biology
Formulation Category
Methylcellulose-Based

Data Figures

Procedure Summary for Hematopoietic CFU Assays

Figure 1. Procedure Summary for Hematopoietic CFU Assays

Examples of Colonies Derived from Mouse Hematopoietic Progenitors

Figure 2. Examples of Colonies Derived from Mouse Hematopoietic Progenitors

Protocols and Documentation

Find supporting information and directions for use in the Product Information Sheet or explore additional protocols below.

Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
Lot #
Language
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
03444, 03434
Lot #
All
Language
English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
03434
Lot #
All
Language
English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
03444, 03434
Lot #
All
Language
English

Applications

This product is designed for use in the following research area(s) as part of the highlighted workflow stage(s). Explore these workflows to learn more about the other products we offer to support each research area.

Resources and Publications

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use semi-solid media?

Semi-solid media (methylcellulose-based MethoCultâ„¢ and collagen-based MegaCultâ„¢-C) allow the clonal progeny of a single progenitor cell to remain spatially isolated from other colonies within a culture, so they may be separately identified and counted.

Why use methylcellulose-based media?

Methylcellulose permits better growth of erythroid colonies than other types of semi-solid support systems (eg. agar) while allowing optimal myeloid colony formation. When appropriate cytokines are present, committed progenitor cells of both erythroid and granulocyte/macrophage lineages (CFU-GM, CFU-G, CFU-M) as well as multi-potential progenitor cells (CFU-GEMM), can be assayed simultaneously in the same culture dish.

Is it necessary to add antibiotics to the media?

No, aseptic technique should be sufficient to maintain sterile cultures. However, antibiotics (eg. Penicillin/Streptomycin) or anti-fungals (eg. Amphotericin B) may be added to the methylcellulose medium if desired.

Is there anything I can do if my cultures appear contaminated?

No, once contamination is visible, it is not possible to rescue the cultures by the addition of antibiotics. Bacteria and yeast inhibit colony formation by depleting nutrients or by releasing toxic substances.

Why can't I use a pipette to dispense methylcellulose-based media?

Methylcellulose is a viscous solution that cannot be accurately dispensed using a pipette due to adherence of the medium to the walls of the pipette tip. Blunt-End, 16 Gauge needles (Catalog #28110), in combination with 3 cc Syringes (Catalog #28230) are recommended for accurate dispensing of MethoCultâ„¢.

Can I 'pluck' the colonies for individual analysis?

Yes, colonies can be 'plucked' using a pipette with 200 µL sterile pipette tips or using a glass Pasteur pipette with an elongated tip. Individual colonies should be placed in a volume of 25 - 50 µL of medium, and diluted into suitable culture medium for further culture or analysis.

Why are low adherence dishes so important?

Adherent cells such as fibroblasts can cause inhibition of colony growth and obscure visualization of colonies.

Can MethoCult™ products be used for lymphoid progenitor CFU assays?

Human lymphoid progenitors (B, NK and T) seem to require stromal support for growth therefore cannot be grown in MethoCultâ„¢. Mouse pre-B clonogenic progenitors can be grown in MethoCultâ„¢ M3630 (Catalog #03630).

Is it possible to set up CFU assays in a 24-well plate?

Yes, as long as a plating concentration optimized for the smaller surface area of a well in a 24-well plate (1.9 cm2 as compared to ~9.5 cm2 for a 35 mm dish) is used for these assays. The number of replicate wells required to get an accurate estimation of CFU numbers may also need to be increased.

Can I stain colonies in MethoCultâ„¢ medium?

The cells in individual colonies in MethoCultâ„¢ can be stained, eg., for analysis of morphology or phenotype, after they are plucked from the dish and washed free of methylcellulose. Colonies grown in collagen-based MegaCultâ„¢-C medium can be used for immunohistochemical or enzymatic staining in situ after dehydration and fixation onto glass slides.

Are there differences in colony morphology with serum-free media?

Serum-containing media generally give better overall growth (colonies may appear larger) but there are no large differences in total colony numbers when CFU assays using serum-free media and serum-containing media are compared, provided that identical cytokines are present.

Can MethoCult™ be made with alternate base media?

Yes, this can be done as a 'custom' media order. Please contact techsupport@stemcell.com for more information.

Is there a MethoCult™ formulation suitable for HPP-CFC (high proliferative potential colony forming cell)?

Yes, MethoCultâ„¢ H4535 (Catalog #04535) can be used for the HPP-CFC assay as it does not contain EPO. The culture period is usually 28 days. It is not necessary to feed these cultures as growth factors in the medium are present in excess. As HPP-CFCs can be quite large, overplating can be a problem. It is recommended to plate cells at two or more different concentrations.

Publications (193)

Setd2 ensures the establishment of a precise basal inflammatory state within murine hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells H. Tao et al. Cell Death & Disease 2025 Nov

Abstract

The maintenance of a basal immunoinflammatory signature in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) constitutes a fundamental regulatory axis governing hematopoietic competence and immune effector generation. While epigenetic repressors constrain this inflammatory phenotype, the molecular amplifiers that preserve this critical state remain undefined. Through integrated single-cell transcriptomic/epigenomic profiling and functional interrogation, we identify Setd2-mediated H3K36me3 as an indispensable epigenetic amplifier sustaining baseline inflammation in murine HSPCs. Setd2 ablation specifically eliminated interferon (IFN)-enriched HSPC subpopulations and attenuated inflammatory signaling cascades. Functionally, Setd2-deficient HSPCs exhibited impaired IFNγ responsiveness, compromised B-lymphopoiesis, and diminished reconstitution capacity due to Lin−c-Kit+Sca1high cell depletion. Paradoxically, Setd2 loss conferred resistance to IFNγ-induced HSPCs exhaustion, which may contribute to the maintenance of Setd2-deficient HSPCs in our myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) model under the inflammatory milieu. Mechanistically, Setd2 sustained chromatin accessibility and enhancer (H3K27ac) activity at inflammatory gene loci. This work delineates a critical link between Setd2-mediated chromatin regulation, baseline inflammation, HSPC function, and immune competence, providing insights into inflammatory dysregulation in hematopoietic malignancies like MDS.
Thrombocytopenia in murine schistosomiasis is associated with platelet uptake by liver macrophages that have a distinct activation phenotype J. H. Greenman et al. PLOS Pathogens 2025 Nov

Abstract

Alongside their well-established role in hemostasis, platelets are key modulators of immune cell function. This is particularly the case for macrophages, as platelets can either promote or dampen macrophage activation in a context-specific manner. Whilst the role of platelets in modulating classical (M1) macrophage activation following bacterial challenge is relatively well understood, whether platelets control other macrophage responses is less clear. We investigated the role of platelets in type 2 inflammation using a mouse model of chronic schistosomiasis. Schistosome infection caused thrombocytopenia which was not fully reversed after drug-induced parasite death. Reduced platelet levels in infection were coincident with lower levels of systemic TPO and extensive liver damage caused by parasite eggs. Infection also reduced the ploidy and size (but not number) of bone marrow megakaryocytes, which was associated with reduced platelet output. We show schistosome infection accelerated platelet clearance and promoted the formation of platelet-leukocyte aggregates. This was particularly the case for liver macrophages and monocytes. Phenotypic analysis shows that platelet-associated liver macrophages had a distinct activation phenotype that included elevated expression of the alternative (M2) activation marker RELMα. Despite this, in vitro studies indicated that platelets do not directly promote macrophage alternative activation. Similarly, whilst in vivo pharmacological treatment with a TPO mimetic enhanced platelet numbers and platelet-leukocyte aggregates, this did not alter macrophage phenotype. Conversely, antibody-mediated depletion of platelets or use of platelet-deficient mice both led to extensive bleeding following infection which impacted host survival. Together, these data indicate that whilst platelets are essential to prevent excessive disease pathology in schistosomiasis, they have a more nuanced role in myeloid cell activation and type 2 immune responses. Author summaryPlatelets are the second most abundant blood cell and are best known for their role in stopping bleeding after blood vessel damage. More recent studies have revealed another important function of platelets is their ability to control immune cell activation. Here, we investigate the role of platelets in immune responses to schistosomes, parasitic worms that cause the disease schistosomiasis that affects hundreds of millions worldwide. Schistosome worms live in our blood vessels and release large numbers of eggs that must exit the blood and move through our tissues to exit the body for onward transmission. However, a large number of eggs become trapped in different organs causing inflammation and disease pathology. We find that schistosome infection reduces the numbers of platelets in the blood of laboratory mice. Platelets are taken up by liver macrophages, and whilst these macrophages have a distinct activation profile compared to other cells, platelets themselves do not cause these changes. However, platelets are essential to survive schistosomiasis due to excessive bleeding in their absence. Together, this work shows that platelets are key to surviving schistosome infection but this reflects more their role in preventing bleeding rather than controlling immune cell function.
Single-cell transcriptome analysis profiles the enlarged subsets of myeloid-biased HSPCs with preleukemic characters in disuse osteoporosis mice C. Zhang et al. Cell & Bioscience 2025 Nov

Abstract

Osteoporosis (OP) could lead to the alteration of bone marrow microenvironment and non-homeostasis of hematopoiesis, which could increase the incidence of hematologic malignancies. However, whether myeloid-biased hematopoiesis occurred and contributed to the leukemogenesis under the condition of OP remains unclear. Results: This study successfully induced a mouse model for OP by hindlimb unloading, which shows increased myeloid cells and decreased B cells in the peripheral blood (PB). Furthermore, our study demonstrates that the myeloid-biased subset of HSPCs (hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells) with reduced differentiation and apoptosis, including multipotent progenitor 3 (MPP3) and granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GMPs), were expanded in the OP mice. The expansion of myeloid-biased HSPCs contributes to the accumulation of HSPCs in the bone marrow and increased myeloid cells in the PB of OP mice. In the expanded pool of HSPCs, OP mice specifically enriched subsets were identified and profiled by single cell RNA-seq, including subHSCs from primitive HSCs, MPP3-1 from MPP3, GMP5 from GMPs, MkP2 from megakaryocyte progenitors and EryP1 from erythrocyte progenitors. Meanwhile, those OP-HU mice enriched subsets shared significantly up- and down-regulated genes enriched in chromatin modification and cell differentiation and apoptosis such as Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (Brd4), encoding an important chromatin remodeling protein, and Proteinase 3 (Prtn3). Moreover, the specific transcription factors corresponding to the expansion of subHSCs, MPP3-1, GMP5 and EryP1 in OP-HU mice were identified as Zfp951, Nfic, Maz and Ezh2. Finally, inhibition of BRD4 in vivo could partially restore the phenotype of OP-HU mice and the expression of genes regulating HSPC expansion, differentiation and apoptosis. Conclusions: First of all, our study shows that OP could induce the unbalanced hematopoiesis and enhances the myeloid-biased hematopoiesis. Secondly, OP mice enriched subsets of HSPCs were identified and characterized with enhanced chromatin remodeling, reduced differentiation and resistance to apoptosis. Finally, this study demonstrate that Brd4 regulated gene programs endow the myeloid-biased subsets of HSPCs with tumor cell-like characters in OP mice, which may increase the incidence of the leukemic evolution. This study sheds light on the importance for the prevention of myeloid leukemogenesis in human with OP.