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STEMdiff™ Neural Induction Medium

Defined, serum-free medium for neural induction of human ES and iPS cells

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

STEMdiff™ Neural Induction Medium

Defined, serum-free medium for neural induction of human ES and iPS cells

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Defined, serum-free medium for neural induction of human ES and iPS cells
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Product Advantages


  • Defined and serum-free

  • Rapid and efficient neural induction

  • Compatible with both embryoid body and monolayer culture protocols

  • Reproducible differentiation of multiple ES cell and iPS cell lines maintained in mTeSR™ Plus, mTeSR™ 1, or TeSR™-AOF

  • Convenient, user-friendly format and protocols

What's Included

  • STEMdiff™ Neural Induction Medium, 250 mL (Catalog #05835)
  • STEMdiff™ Neural Induction Medium, 2 x 250 mL (Catalog #05839)

Overview

STEMdiff™ Neural Induction Medium is a defined, serum-free medium for the neural induction of human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. This medium enables highly efficient generation of neural progenitor cell using either embryoid body- or monolayer culture-based protocols.

Learn how to generate neural progenitor cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in our On-Demand Neural Induction Course, and browse our Tech Tips on the Neural Induction of hPSCs using the Embryoid Body Method or Monolayer Method.
Subtype
Specialized Media
Cell Type
Neural Cells, PSC-Derived, Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells, Pluripotent Stem Cells
Species
Human
Application
Cell Culture, Differentiation
Brand
STEMdiff
Area of Interest
Disease Modeling, Neuroscience, Stem Cell Biology
Formulation Category
Serum-Free

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 #
05839, 05835
Lot #
All
Language
English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
05835
Lot #
All
Language
English
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
05839, 05835
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 (55)

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.
Lithium partially rescues gene expression and enhancer activity from heterozygous knockout of AKAP11 while inducing novel differential changes N. Farhangdoost et al. Scientific Reports 2025 Oct

Abstract

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a complex psychiatric condition usually requiring long-term treatment. Lithium (Li) remains the most effective mood stabilizer for BD, yet it benefits only a subset of patients, and its precise mechanism of action remains elusive. Exome sequencing has identified AKAP11 (A-kinase anchoring protein 11) as a shared risk gene for BD and schizophrenia (SCZ). Given that both the AKAP11-Protein Kinase A (PKA) complex and Li target and inhibit Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 beta (GSK3β), we hypothesize that Li may partially normalize the transcriptomic and/or epigenomic alterations observed in heterozygous AKAP11-knockout (Het-AKAP11-KO) iPSC-derived neurons. In this study, we employed genome-wide approaches to assess the effects of Li on the transcriptome and epigenome of human iPSC-derived Het-AKAP11-KO neuronal culture. We show that chronic Li treatment in this cellular model upregulates key pathways that were initially downregulated by Het-AKAP11-KO, several of which have also been reported as downregulated in synapses of BD and SCZ post-mortem brain tissues. Moreover, we demonstrated that Li treatment partially rescues certain transcriptomic alterations resulting from Het-AKAP11-KO, bringing them closer to the WT state. We suggest two possible mechanisms underlying these transcriptomic effects: (1) Li modulates histone H3K27ac levels at intergenic and intronic enhancers, influencing enhancer activity and transcription factor binding, and (2) Li enhances GSK3β serine 9 phosphorylation, impacting WNT/β-catenin signaling and downstream transcription. These findings underscore Li’s potential as a therapeutic agent for BD and SCZ patients carrying AKAP11 loss-of-function variants or exhibiting similar pathway alterations to those observed in Het-AKAP11-KO models.
Need a high-quality cell source? Choose from our hiPSC healthy control lines, manufactured with mTeSR™ Plus.