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STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium

Medium for maintenance and expansion of neural progenitor cells derived from human ES and iPS cells

STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium

Medium for maintenance and expansion of neural progenitor cells derived from human ES and iPS cells

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Medium for maintenance and expansion of neural progenitor cells derived from human ES and iPS cells
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Product Advantages


  • Defined and serum-free

  • Supports expansion of NPCs generated using STEMdiff™ Neural Induction Medium

  • Optimized for efficient expansion of NPCs over multiple passages

  • Preserves NPC multipotency while minimizing spontaneous neuronal differentiation

  • Convenient, user-friendly format and protocol

What's Included

  • STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Basal Medium, 500 mL
  • STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Supplement A (50X), 10 mL
  • STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Supplement B (1000X), 500 µL

Overview

STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium is a defined and serum-free medium for the expansion of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) derived from human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells using STEMdiff™ Neural Induction Medium (Catalog #05835). NPCs cultured in this medium can be expanded 3-5 fold per passage, and cultured for at least 10 passages, with minimal spontaneous neuronal differentiation.
Subtype
Specialized Media
Cell Type
Neural Cells, PSC-Derived, Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells, Pluripotent Stem Cells
Species
Human
Application
Cell Culture, Expansion
Brand
STEMdiff
Area of Interest
Disease Modeling, Drug Discovery and Toxicity Testing, Neuroscience, Stem Cell Biology
Formulation Category
Serum-Free

Data Figures

Morphology and Marker Expression of Neural Progenitor Cells Cultured in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium

Figure 1. Morphology and Marker Expression of Neural Progenitor Cells Cultured in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium

(A) Typical NPC morphology is observed in cultures (shown at day 6 of passage 1). (B-D) NPCs maintained in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium express the CNS-type NPC markers PAX6 (B, D, red), SOX1 (C, red) and NESTIN (C, green), but not the neural crest marker SOX10 (D, green, single channel shown in inset). B-D were taken at the same magnification.

Expansion of Neural Progenitor Cells in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium

Figure 2. Expansion of Neural Progenitor Cells in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium

NPCs cultured in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium can be expanded to generate a large number of cells. Three- to five-fold expansion can be achieved upon each passage. NPCs were derived using STEMdiff™ Neural Induction Medium and passaged once a week on average. n = 6.

Neural Progenitor Cells Cultured in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium Show Minimal Spontaneous Neuronal Differentiation

Figure 3. Neural Progenitor Cells Cultured in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium Show Minimal Spontaneous Neuronal Differentiation

Passages 1 (A) and 3 (B) of a representative NPC culture maintained in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium. Cells were immunolabeled with SOX1 (red) to identify NPCs, and class III β-tubulin (green) to identify neurons. Spontaneous neuronal differentiation is low in NPC cultures maintained in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium. A and B were taken at the same magnification.

Neural Progenitor Cells Maintained in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium can Differentiate into Neurons and Astrocytes

Figure 4. Neural Progenitor Cells Maintained in STEMdiff™ Neural Progenitor Medium can Differentiate into Neurons and Astrocytes

When directed according to published protocols, NPCs can differentiate into neurons (A, class III β-tubulin shown in red) and astrocytes (B, GFAP shown in red). Nuclei are counterstained with DAPI (blue).

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 #
05833
Lot #
All
Language
English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
05833
Lot #
All
Language
English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
05833
Lot #
All
Language
English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
05833
Lot #
All
Language
English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
05833
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 (30)

Consequences of the Novel ALS-Associated KIF5A Variant c.2993-6C > A for Exon 27 Splicing and Axonal Transport of SFPQ G. A. Rouleau et al. Neurology: Genetics 2026 Mar

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Recent studies have identified variants in the kinesin family member 5A (KIF5A) gene that predispose to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These ALS-linked KIF5A variants lead to the exclusion of exon 27, resulting in the production of a mutated protein with an altered C-terminal region (KIF5A ΔExon27). Through whole genome sequencing, we identified a novel KIF5A intronic variant, rs1057522322 (c.2993-6C > A; chr12:57582596C > A, GRCh38.p14), in a family segregating ALS. Our goal is to investigate the effect of this variant on exon 27 splicing and to assess its functional consequences on KIF5A-mediated cargo transport. Methods: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were generated from siblings with and without the c.2993-6C > A variant. RT-PCR was performed on RNA extracted from iPSC-derived neurons to assess exon 27 splicing. Functional studies were conducted on iPSC-derived motor neurons (MNs). Results: RT-PCR confirmed that the c.2993-6C > A variant induced exon 27 skipping in KIF5A. Immunofluorescent staining showed that KIF5A ΔExon27 abolished the axonal interaction with splicing factor proline- and glutamine-rich, a cargo specifically transported by KIF5A. Under stress conditions, MNs carrying the c.2993-6C > A variant exhibited TDP-43 proteinopathy. Discussion: KIF5A intronic variant c.2993-6C > A could be a risk factor for ALS. KIF5A ΔExon27 impairs KIF5A-mediated cargo transport and contributes to ALS pathogenesis in a TDP-43–dependent manner.
Development of potent, selective cPLA2 inhibitors for targeting neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders A. V. Sadybekov et al. Npj Drug Discovery 2026 Jan

Abstract

Chronic neuroinflammation plays a key role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the cytosolic calcium-dependent phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) enzyme is a critical mediator of inflammatory lipid signaling pathways. Here we investigate the therapeutic potential of novel cPLA2 inhibitors in modulating neuroinflammation in AD. By leveraging the giga-scale V-SYNTHES2 virtual screening in on-demand chemical space and conducting two rounds of optimization for potency and selectivity, we have identified BRI-50460, achieving an IC50 of 0.88 nM in cellular assays that measure cPLA2-mediated arachidonic acid release. In vivo studies revealed favorable brain-to-plasma ratios, highlighting the ability of BRI-50460 to penetrate the central nervous system, modulating neuroinflammatory pathways, and restoring lipid homeostasis. In astrocytes and neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, BRI-50460 mitigates the effects of amyloid beta 42 oligomers on cPLA2 activation, tau hyperphosphorylation, and synaptic loss. Our results support that small molecule inhibitors of cPLA2 can modulate the downstream inflammatory signaling, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases.
High-throughput transcriptomic screening reveals entrectinib as a repositioning opportunity in 19q12 autism spectrum disorder D. Guin et al. Scientific Reports 2025 Nov

Abstract

Discovering new and viable therapies for genetic diseases is a time-consuming and cost-intensive process, especially for rare disorders. In this study, we highlight how a high-throughput drug discovery platform was utilized to uncover drugs at scale that normalized the signature for a rare neurological neurodevelopmental disease, 19q12 autism spectrum disorder (ASD) associated with deficiencies in ZNF536 and TSHZ3. We first identified the transcriptomic fingerprint of the disease in an in vitro disease model in the form of dysregulated pathways. Subsequently, we measured the biological impact of small molecule drugs in a relevant wild-type cell line and uncovered an approved drug Entrectinib that induced the opposite effect to that in the disease fingerprint, demonstrating the capability to normalize the disease fingerprint. Entrectinib was further prescribed off-label to the identified patient with 19q12 and drug effect was characterized both from blood collection and neuropsychological assessments. Biomarkers from blood recapitulated Entrectinib’s pharmacodynamic effect and normalized the disease signature. We show how generation of transferrable transcriptomics-derived disease signatures allows for measuring drug effects on a signature in related wild-type cell lines, making the screen universally applicable and reducing the need for expensive screens in disease models.