Formation of embryoid bodies from human pluripotent stem cells using AggreWell™ plates

Abstract

Many human embryonic stem (hES) and induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cell differentiation protocols begin with the formation of three-dimensional aggregates of cells called embryoid bodies (EBs). Traditional EB formation methods result in a heterogeneous population of EB sizes and shapes, which then undergo heterogeneous differentiation efficiencies. AggreWell™400 and AggreWell™800 use the spin-EB method to force the aggregation of a defined number of cells, thereby controlling EB size and generating a population of uniform EBs. Moreover, the dense array of microwells on the bottom surface of AggreWell™400 provide for the rapid and simple production of thousands of EBs at a time. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.