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STEMdiff™ Mesenchymal Progenitor Kit

Defined culture kit for derivation and expansion of mesenchymal progenitor cells

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

STEMdiff™ Mesenchymal Progenitor Kit

Defined culture kit for derivation and expansion of mesenchymal progenitor cells

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Defined culture kit for derivation and expansion of mesenchymal progenitor cells
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Product Advantages


  • Serum- and animal component-free formulation

  • Efficient and reproducible generation of MPCs from human ES and iPS cell lines

  • Rapid derivation of MPCs in 3 weeks

  • Generates MPCs capable of long-term expansion and differentiation to adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes

What's Included

  • STEMdiff™-ACF Mesenchymal Induction Medium, 100 mL
  • MesenCult™-ACF Plus Medium, 500 mL
  • MesenCult™-ACF Plus 500X Supplement, 1 mL
  • Animal Component-Free Cell Attachment Substrate, 1 mL
Products for Your Protocol
To see all required products for your protocol, please consult the Protocols and Documentation.

Overview

Derive mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) efficiently and reproducibly from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) using the STEMdiff™ Mesenchymal Progenitor Kit. This fully animal component-free (ACF) system provides all reagents required for induction and expansion of MPCs from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Cells generated with this kit express hallmark mesenchymal markers (CD73, CD90, CD105) and demonstrate robust expansion and differentiation into adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineages when paired with MesenCult™ Differentiation Kits. Compared with primary mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), MPCs derived using this workflow exhibit reduced heterogeneity and offer a consistent, reproducible platform for regenerative medicine research, disease modeling, and drug discovery.

For further differentiation and culture of MSCs view our MesenCult™ MSC cell culture portfolio, which includes Human iPSC-Derived Mesenchymal Progenitor Cells for starting your experiments with a validated, pure MSC cell culture.

is the manufacturer of the rhCollagen component of the cell attachment substrate.

The Product may be used for research purposes only. Please contact ƽ for any clinical or commercial application of the Product.
Subtype
Specialized Media
Cell Type
Mesenchymal Cells, PSC-Derived
Species
Human
Application
Cell Culture, Differentiation
Brand
STEMdiff
Area of Interest
Drug Discovery and Toxicity Testing, Stem Cell Biology
Formulation Category
Animal Component-Free, Serum-Free

Data Figures

Human ES- and iPS-derived MPCs Can Be Further Differentiated Into Adipogenic, Chondrogenic and Osteogenic Lineages

Figure 1. Schematic of Differentiation Protocol and Timeline

In Phase 1, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are cultured in ձ𳧸™1, mTeSR™Plus, or TeSR™-E8™ medium. On Day 0 (Phase 2) of the protocol, cells are ready for induction into early mesoderm progenitor cells by replacing TeSR™ medium with STEMdiff™-ACF Mesenchymal Induction Medium. By Day 4 (Phase 3), STEMdiff™-ACF Mesenchymal Induction Medium is replaced with MesenCult™-ACF Plus Medium to derive early mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs). On Day 6, cells are passaged onto cultureware precoated with MesenCult™-ACF Attachment Substrate in MesenCult™-ACF Plus Medium. By Day 21, hESC- or hiPSC-derived MPCs exhibit the characteristics of MPCs.

Cell Expansion and Doubling Rate of MPCs Derived from Human ES (H9) and iPS (STiPS-F016 and -F031) Cells in MesenCult™-ACF Medium

Figure 2. Cell Expansion and Doubling Rate of MPCs Derived from hESCs (H9) and hiPSCs (STiPS-M001, SCTi003-A, WLS-1C H9 ) in MesenCult™-ACF Plus Medium

(A) Cumulative cell expansion over 12 passages for MPCs derived from hESC and hiPSC lines. (B) Doubling time for hESC- and hiPSC-derived MPCs.

A Representative Flow Cytometric Analysis of STiPS-F016-derived MPCs Expressing Mesenchymal Surface Markers By Day 21

Figure 3. A Representative Flow Cytometric Analysis of STiPS-M001-derived MPCs Expressing Mesenchymal Surface Markers by Day 21

hiPSC-derived MPCs, generated using the STEMdiff™ Mesenchymal Progenitor Kit, express high levels of mesenchymal surface markers (CD73, CD90, and CD105). hESC-derived MPCs display the same phenotype (data not shown).

Human ES- and iPS-derived MPCs Can Be Further Differentiated Into Adipogenic, Chondrogenic and Osteogenic Lineages

Figure 4. hESC- and hiPSC-derived MPCs Can Be Further Differentiated into Adipogenic, Chondrogenic and Osteogenic Lineages

(A) MPCs generated from the 21 day protocol (described in Figure 1) and subsequently cultured in MesenCult™-ACF Plus Medium develop MPC-like morphology. MPCs can be differentiated to (B) adipocytes (Oil Red O staining); (C) chondrocytes (Alcian Blue staining); and (D) osteoblasts (Alizarin Red S staining).

Protocols and Documentation

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

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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 (11)

Autologous iPSC- and MSC-derived chondrocyte implants for cartilage repair in a miniature pig model Lee et al. Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2025 Feb

Abstract

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs) have greater potential for generating chondrocytes without hypertrophic and fibrotic phenotypes compared to bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMSCs). However, there is a lack of research demonstrating the use of autologous iMSCs for repairing articular chondral lesions in large animal models. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of autologous miniature pig (minipig) iMSC-chondrocyte (iMSC-Ch)-laden implants in comparison to autologous BMSC-chondrocyte (BMSC-Ch)-laden implants for cartilage repair in porcine femoral condyles. iMSCs and BMSCs were seeded into fibrin glue/nanofiber constructs and cultured with chondrogenic induction media for 7 days before implantation. To assess the regenerative capacity of the cells, 19 skeletally mature Yucatan minipigs were randomly divided into microfracture control, acellular scaffold, iMSC, and BMSC subgroups. A cylindrical defect measuring 7 mm in diameter and 0.6 mm in depth was created on the articular cartilage surface without violating the subchondral bone. The defects were then left untreated or treated with acellular or cellular implants. Both cellular implant-treated groups exhibited enhanced joint repair compared to the microfracture and acellular control groups. Immunofluorescence analysis yielded significant findings, showing that cartilage treated with iMSC-Ch implants exhibited higher expression of COL2A1 and minimal to no expression of COL1A1 and COL10A1, in contrast to the BMSC-Ch-treated group. This indicates that the iMSC-Ch implants generated more hyaline cartilage-like tissue compared to the BMSC-Ch implants. Our findings contribute to filling the knowledge gap regarding the use of autologous iPSC derivatives for cartilage repair in a translational animal model. Moreover, these results highlight their potential as a safe and effective therapeutic strategy. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-025-04215-7.
Tracing genomic instability in induced mesenchymal stromal cell manufacture: an integration-free transfection approach Experimental & Molecular Medicine 2025 Apr

Abstract

Here we systematically investigated genomic alterations from the initiation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell generation to induced mesenchymal stromal/stem cell differentiation. We observed a total of ten copy number alterations (CNAs) and five single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) during the phases of reprogramming, differentiation and passaging. We identified a higher frequency of CNAs and SNVs in iPS cells generated using the Sendai virus (SV) method compared with those generated with episomal vectors (Epi). Specifically, all SV-iPS cell lines exhibited CNAs during the reprogramming phase, while only 40% of Epi-iPS cells showed such alterations. Additionally, SNVs were observed exclusively in SV-derived cells during passaging and differentiation, with no SNVs detected in Epi-derived lines. Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of chromosomal instability-related genes in late-passage SV-iPSCs, further indicating increased genomic instability. Notably, TP53 mutations were identified, underscoring the vulnerability of the gene and the critical need for careful genomic scrutiny when preparing iPS cells and derived cell lines. Genomic instability in induced pluripotent stem cells revealedThis study explores the potential of using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to create mesenchymal stem (MS) cells for medical treatments. iPS cells can be reprogrammed from regular cells and can become any cell type, including MS cells, which are important for tissue repair. However, a concern is that iPS cells might develop genetic changes that could affect their safety. Here researchers investigated these genetic changes during the creation and growth of iPS cells and their transformation into MS cells using advanced techniques such as chromosomal microarray and next-generation sequencing, alongside conventional methods. The study found that iPS cells often develop genetic alterations, which can persist as they are turned into MS cells. The results suggest that while iPS cells hold promise for regenerative medicine, careful monitoring of genetic stability is crucial. Future research should focus on improving methods to ensure safety of iPS cell-derived therapies.This summary was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then revised and fact-checked by the author.
Adipocyte inflammation is the primary driver of hepatic insulin resistance in a human iPSC-based microphysiological system Nature Communications 2024 Sep

Abstract

Interactions between adipose tissue, liver and immune system are at the center of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and type 2 diabetes. To address the need for an accurate in vitro model, we establish an interconnected microphysiological system (MPS) containing white adipocytes, hepatocytes and proinflammatory macrophages derived from isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cells. Using this MPS, we find that increasing the adipocyte-to-hepatocyte ratio moderately affects hepatocyte function, whereas macrophage-induced adipocyte inflammation causes lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and MPS-wide insulin resistance, corresponding to initiation of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. We also use our MPS to identify and characterize pharmacological intervention strategies for hepatic steatosis and systemic insulin resistance and find that the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist semaglutide improves hepatocyte function by acting specifically on adipocytes. These results establish our MPS modeling the adipose tissue-liver axis as an alternative to animal models for mechanistic studies or drug discovery in metabolic diseases. In vitro modelling of the adipose tissue-liver axis can advance understanding and therapy of metabolic disease, including by distinguishing effects of obesity and inflammation. Here, authors develop such a system based on isogenic human iPSCs and interconnected microphysiological devices.
Need a high-quality cell source? Choose from our hiPSC healthy control lines, manufactured with mTeSR™ Plus.