Chemically defined and xeno-free cryopreservation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells

Abstract

Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can be derived from a variety of biopsy samples and have an unlimited capacity for self-renewal and differentiation into almost any cell type in the body. Therefore, hiPSCs offer unprecedented opportunities for patient-specific cell therapies, modeling of human diseases, biomarker discovery, and drug testing. However, clinical applications of hiPSCs require xeno-free and, ideally, chemically defined methods for their generation, expansion, and cryopreservation. In this chapter, we present a chemically defined and xeno-free slow freezing method for hiPSCs along with a chemically undefined protocol. Both approaches yield reasonable post-thaw viability and cell growth.