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STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm Kit

Defined animal component-free medium for the differentiation of human ESCs and iPSCs to definitive endoderm

Need a high-quality cell source? Choose from our hiPSC healthy control lines, manufactured with mTeSR™ Plus.

STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm Kit

Defined animal component-free medium for the differentiation of human ESCs and iPSCs to definitive endoderm

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Defined animal component-free medium for the differentiation of human ESCs and iPSCs to definitive endoderm
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Product Advantages


  • Defined, serum-free, animal component-free medium for the differentiation of human ES and iPS cells to definitive endoderm in a complete, ready-to-use format

  • Efficient and reproducible differentiation of multiple ES cell and iPS cell lines

  • Generates definitive endoderm cells capable of further differentiation to pancreatic, hepatic, intestinal and pulmonary cell lineages

What's Included

  • STEMdiff™ Endoderm Basal Medium, 100 mL
  • STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm Supplement MR (100X), 0.35 mL
  • STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm Supplement CJ (100X), 1.1 mL
Products for Your Protocol
To see all required products for your protocol, please consult the Protocols and Documentation.

Overview

STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm Kit is a complete, serum- and animal component-free medium and supplement kit that supports highly efficient differentiation of human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to definitive endoderm cells. Cells differentiated using STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm Kit express high levels of endoderm markers, including CD184 (CXCR4), SOX17, FOXA2, and c-KIT, and lack expression of ectoderm, mesoderm, and pluripotency markers. The definitive endoderm cells produced using this kit are multipotent and capable of further differentiation towards cells of the pancreatic, intestinal, pulmonary, and hepatic lineages, thus providing a robust tool for developmental studies, disease modeling, and drug discovery.​

This kit is optimized for differentiation of cells maintained in ձ𳧸™1, mTeSR™ Plus, or TeSR™-AOF. For differentiation of cells maintained in TeSR™-E8™, please see the
Subtype
Specialized Media
Cell Type
Airway Cells, Endoderm, PSC-Derived, Hepatic Cells, Intestinal Cells, Pancreatic Cells, Pluripotent Stem Cells
Species
Human
Application
Cell Culture, Differentiation
Brand
STEMdiff
Area of Interest
Cancer, Epithelial Cell Biology, Stem Cell Biology
Formulation Category
Animal Component-Free, Serum-Free

Data Figures

Definitive endoderm differentiation is efficient across multiple human ES and iPS cell lines

Figure 1. Definitive endoderm differentiation is efficient across multiple human ES and iPS cell lines

Quantitative analysis of definitive endoderm formulation on multiple human ES and iPS cell lines as measured by co-expression of CXCR4 and SOX17. Prior to differentiation using STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm, cells were maintained in their pluripotent state by culturing mTeSR™1 on Matrigel. Data are expressed as the mean percent of cells expressing both markers. Error bars indicate SEM, n = 4-18 per cell line.

Quantitative Analysis of Definitive Endoderm hES and iPS-Derived Using STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm

Figure 2. Quantitative Analysis of Definitive Endoderm hES and iPS-Derived Using STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm

Quantitative analysis of definitive endoderm in human ES and iPS cells previously maintained in TeSR™2 prior to differentiation on Matrigel using STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm. Data are expressed as the mean percent of cells expressing both markers. Error bars indicate SEM. n = 4-11 per cell line.

Efficient definitive endoderm differentiation in human ES and iPS cells

Figure 3. Efficient definitive endoderm differentiation in human ES and iPS cells

Representative Density plots showing CXCR4 and SOX17 expression in human ES cells (H1 and H9) and human iPS cells (WLS-4D1 and A13700) following 5 days of differentiation to definitive endoderm using STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm. Isotype controls were used to set quadrant gates.

STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm yields DE that retains potency for downstream lineage specification

Figure 4. STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm yields DE that retains potency for downstream lineage specification

Cultures differentiated using STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm maintain their ability to be directed towards pancreatic and hepatic lineages. A) Representative image of PDX-1 immunoreactivity in H9 cells following pancreatic specification. Scale bar 20 µm. B) Representative image of human serum albumin (HSA) immunoreactivity in H9 cells following hepatic specification. Scale bar, 100 µm.

Density plots and quantitative analysis showing CXCR4 and SOX17 expression in cells cultured in ձ𳧸™1 (daily feeds) or mTeSR™ Plus (restricted feeds), following 5 days of differentiation using the STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm Kit.

Figure 5. Generation of Definitive Endoderm from hPSCs Maintained in mTeSR™ Plus

(A) Representative density plots showing CXCR4 and SOX17 expression in cells cultured in ձ𳧸™1 (daily feeds) or mTeSR™ Plus (restricted feeds), following 5 days of differentiation using the STEMdiff™ Definitive Endoderm Kit. (B) Quantitative analysis of definitive endoderm formation in multiple hPSC lines (H9, STiPS-M001, WLS-1C) maintained with ձ𳧸™1 or mTeSR™ Plus as measured by co-expression of CXCR4 and SOX17. Data are expressed as the mean percentage of cells (± SEM) expressing both markers; n=3.

Protocols and Documentation

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

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05110
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English
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05110
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English
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05110
Lot #
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English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
05110
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

Publications (38)

In silico modeling of anterior foregut endoderm differentiation towards lung epithelial progenitors A. Mostofinejad et al. NPJ Systems Biology and Applications 2026 Jan

Abstract

Directed differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into anterior foregut endoderm (AFE) and lung progenitors (LPs) has wide-ranging implications for lung developmental biology, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine. We expand on a previously developed mathematical modeling framework and apply it to the directed differentiation of AFE into LPs. A model-based approach guides experimental design, followed by a multistage model inference process: maximum likelihood estimation based on in vitro data and identifiability analyses to eliminate unidentifiable candidates, thereby guiding model selection. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first mathematical model of the population dynamics of directed differentiation of AFE into LPs. The model suggests that the overall dynamics are primarily driven by AFE proliferation and differentiation into LPs. In silico experiments predict that daily media change nearly doubles LP yields compared to cultures without media replenishment. Moreover, the model suggests that higher split ratios on day 10 enhance yield per input cell, a measure of differentiation efficiency, by 26%. This work provides a blueprint for refining iPSC-based lung lineage differentiation protocols by combining empirical data and mathematical modeling.
CRISPR-engineered human lung organoids with a biomolecular condensate reporter enable mechanistic toxicity monitoring S-Y. Kim et al. Materials Today Bio 2026 Feb

Abstract

Understanding how chemical stress perturbs human lung physiology requires models that capture dynamic molecular responses in real time. Here, we established a CRISPR/Cas9-engineered human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived lung organoid expressing endogenous G3BP1–mCherry, enabling live, non-destructive visualization of stress granule (SG) formation under toxicant exposure. The organoids recapitulated airway and alveolar epithelial diversity and displayed lamellar body-like ultrastructures, indicating advanced maturation. Time-lapse imaging revealed rapid and reversible SG dynamics across chemically distinct stressors, while cytotoxicity assays showed that these organoids are significantly more sensitive than conventional 2D or cancer-derived lung models. Importantly, SG dynamics were linked to exposure duration–dependent changes in epithelial barrier integrity, indicating that SG formation precedes overt epithelial injury and serves as an early indicator of toxicant-induced cellular stress. Integration with high-content screening enabled quantitative, image-based analysis of cellular stress phenotypes, greatly enhancing throughput and mechanistic insight, thereby provided next-generation New Approach Methodologies for lung toxicity assessment. Together, this hiPSC-derived lung organoid SG reporter platform links early molecular stress adaptation to tissue-level responses, offering a predictive and mechanistically informative framework for human-relevant lung toxicity evaluation.
Human induced pluripotent stem cells for in vitro modeling of impaired mucociliary clearance in cystic fibrosis lung disease M. Klassen et al. Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2025 Oct

Abstract

Severely impaired mucociliary airway function is the primary pathomechanism in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) lung disease. Despite significant advances in CF therapy, there is still a critical need for alternative, individualized treatment options, especially for patients with untreatable CFTR mutations. Although intestinal organoids and primary airway cells are widely used as preclinical models of CF, both systems exhibit limitations with regard to the proper modelling of mucociliary clearance or the availability of sufficient cell quantities. Patient-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are a promising alternative due to their unlimited expansion potential and capacity to differentiate into airway epithelia. However, cellular inhomogeneities in iPSC-derived airway cultures complicated conventional assays that determine CFTR function such as Ussing chamber measurements, and a comprehensive demonstration of CF pathophysiology in hiPSC-derived airway models has been largely lacking. This study provides comprehensive data demonstrating very similar gene expression, (ultra)structure and CFTR function in CF iPSC-derived airway (iALI) and primary airway (pALI) cultures. Addressing current limitations, we have implemented a sensitive, straightforward, and automatable ciliary beat frequency (CBF) assay, which is largely unaffected by inhomogeneities and directly reflects disturbed mucus viscosity and mucociliary transport in CF lung disease. Electron microscopy images confirmed the disease phenotype showing a highly dense and dehydrated mucus layer on top of CF iALI cultures. Furthermore, established CFTR modulator drugs partially rescued the disease phenotype in CF iALI cultures, which validated the utility of iALI cultures as a scalable, patient-specific platform for CF research and personalized drug development.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-025-04737-0.
Need a high-quality cell source? Choose from our hiPSC healthy control lines, manufactured with mTeSR™ Plus.