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Developmental Biology and Stem Cells

Overview/History

The ATCC Developmental Biology Program operates the ATCC Stem Cell Center, established in 2000 with the award of a NIH-NCRR grant. The program maintains and distributes one of the largest stem cell collections available (over 70 stem cell-related cell lines), including: 

  • embryonic and somatic stem cells
  • embryonal carcinoma cells
  • mouse and human feeder cell lines 

The ATCC Stem Cell Center is focusing on accession and characterization of stem cell lines, standardization and optimization of stem cell culturing methods, as well as on developing new reagents. The Center conducts grant/contract-supported research projects focusing on establishment, characterization and directed differentiation of human ES cell lines listed on the NIH Stem Cell Registry. These hES cell lines are used as model systems for stem cell biology, human embryonic development and regenerative medicine.

Authentication

The ATCC Developmental Biology Program employs state-of-the-art technologies for the authentication of human ES cell lines, mouse ES cell lines and mouse feeder cells. Five critical tests address the major concerns of researchers and clinicians working with human ES cell lines and are conducted routinely by ATCC:  

 

1) Sterility — confirms the absence of contaminating organisms such as bacteria, fungi, mycoplasmaand human viruses

2) Identity — confirms species and identity through STR analysis and HLA typing

3) Stemness — confirms the cells are in the undifferentiated state using immunocytochemistry, alkaline phosphatase assay, telomerase expression (TRAP), and gene expression (qRT-PCR and global gene expression)

4) Stability — confirms the integrity of nuclear genomes using cytogenetics and SNP profile

5) Pluripotency — confirms the ability of hESCs to generate various differentiated cell types using teratoma formation and characterization, as well as embryoid bodies formation. 

 

Germline transmission tests are performed on mouse ES cell lines. In addition, human ES cell growth support test is performed, routinely, for all human and mouse feeder cells.

Research and Development 

Research and development is focused on: 

  • Characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines
  • Directed differentiation of hES cells into tissue-specific stem cells
  • Stem cell-based three-dimensional cultures
  • New stem cell products development 

The Center’s goal is to provide well-characterized, genetically stable cell lines, to establish consistent hES cell differentiation models, and to build, assess or integrate new in vitro models for various research and development applications

Grants and Contracts

The ATCC Developmental Biology department was awarded a contract from the National Institute on Aging (NIH) entitled: "Characterization of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines." Dr. Wu Ma is the principal investigator.

Products

Products offered by the Developmental Biology Program include:  

Developmental Biology Staff

Name:  Wu Ma, PhD, University of Paris, Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Neuroscience; BS, Peking Normal University in Biophysics,
Responsibility:  Manager, Developmental Biology
Special Interest:  Dr. Ma is an experienced developmental biologist focused on stem cell biology and central nervous system development. Prior to joining ATCC, he was a Senior Investigator at the Naval Research Laboratory and a Senior Staff Fellow at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. He has coauthored 101 peer-reviewed publications. He has been the principal investigator on a number of research grants awarded by NIH, NASA and the Office of Navy Research and has served on grant review panels for the National Institutes of Health study sections, and National Science Foundation and Department of Energy Office of Science. Dr. Ma is responsible for overseeing the acquisition, authentication and characterization of stem cell related-cell lines and reagents, and grant/contract supported research in the Developmental Biology Program.