Human embryonic stem cells(hESCs) have been derived and cultured in various condition. Culture of undifferentiated hESCs traditionally requires mouse fibroblasts as a feeder cell layer. The hESC culture using mouse fibroblasts makes clinical applicati...
Human embryonic stem cells(hESCs) have been derived and cultured in various condition. Culture of undifferentiated hESCs traditionally requires mouse fibroblasts as a feeder cell layer. The hESC culture using mouse fibroblasts makes clinical application of the hESCs difficult because that the mouse fibroblasts could give a risk of contamination with xeno-pathogens. Therefore, replacing feeder cells with defined human extracellular matrix(ECM) components or synthetic biomaterials would be ideal for the maintenance of clinical-grade hESCs. In this review, we discuss with recent advances in the use and development of substrates suitable for feeder-free culture condition.