Description

Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts (MEF) are used to support the growth of undifferentiated mouse or human ES and iPS cells [1]. They provide both a substrate for the ES cells to grow on and secrete many factors necessary for ES cells to maintain pluripotency. MEF cells are isolated from mouse embryos and are used at their early passages [2]. Before MEF cells are used as feeder cells, they must be treated by irradiation or mitomycin C to stop the cells from further dividing.

MEF from ScienCell Research Laboratories are isolated from E14 mouse embryos. MEF are cryopreserved at primary culture and delivered frozen. Each vial contains 5 x 10^6 cells in 1 ml volume. MEF are characterized by immunofluorescent imaging using antibodies to fibronectin. MEF are negative for mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi. MEF are guaranteed to further culture over 5 population doublings at the conditions provided by ScienCell Research Laboratories.

Recommended Medium

It is recommended to use DMEM F12 (cat. no. 09411) 10% FBS (Cat. No. 0010, 0025 or 0500) for the culturing of MEF cells in vitro.

Product Use

MEF are used as feeder layer in mouse and human ES or iPS cell culture. They are for research use only. It is not approved for human or animal use, or for application in in vitro diagnostic procedures.

Storage

Directly and immediately transfer cells from dry ice to liquid nitrogen upon receiving and keep the cells in liquid nitrogen until cell culture is needed for experiments.

Shipping

Dry ice.

Reference

[1] BRADLEY, A. (1987). Production and analysis of chimaeras. In Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, (ed. E. J. Robertson), pp. 113-151. Oxford: IRL Press.
[2] Nagy et al. (2006) Preparing Mouse Embryo Fibroblasts Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. 2006: pdb.prot 4398.