StemCheck™ Human Stem Cell Line Characterization
The accurate characterization of established stem cell lines is a critically important component of research and preclinical studies involving human cells to document origin, stability, levels of pluripotency or differentiation, and safety. StemCheck™ is a comprehensive menu of genetic and genomic tools now available to identify and characterize human stem cells...
• DNA and RNA Isolation: Preparation of high quality DNA and RNA for use in downstream genomic and gene expression studies.
• Cell line Identification and Signature: Tissue culture strain identification using sixteen loci (15 STRs and amelogenin) recognized by major standardization bodies throughout the world. These studies will establish the molecular signature of cell lines to authenticate their origin.
• Pathogen Screening: Infectious disease detection by molecular analysis for HIV, HTLV, HBV, HCV, EBV and others.
• Cytogenetic Characterization: Standard G-banded chromosome analysis and karyotype preparation.
• Cell Line Mosaicism Screening: Detects low levels of acquired aneuploidy occurring during cell culture by using chromosome specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probes to screen cell line populations.
• Molecular Karyotyping: Detects submicroscopic deletions and duplications using a variety of high density microarrays by Illumina with a median marker spacing as low as 1.5 kb. Targets an additional 9,000 novel CNV sites to specifically analyze CNV regions. These arrays also detect copy-neutral allelic aberrations such as segmental uniparental disomy.
• Gene Expression Analysis: For analysis of markers of pluripotency or tissue specific gene expression. Two whole-genome expression arrays are available. One allows analysis of over 48,000 transcripts and the other targets approximately 24,500 well annotated RefSeq transcripts. Focused gene expression arrays can query groups of up to 1,400 genes consisting of either standard or custom probe content.
• MicroRNA Expression Profiling: As many as 30% of mammalian genes may be regulated by miRNAs. The Illumina microRNA expression profiling assay quantifies levels of miRNA described in the Sanger Institute miRBase database.
• Methylation Profiling: The Illumina genome-wide methylation arrays quantitatively analyze over 27,000 CpG loci covering more than 14,000 genes. Also available is an array which will interrogate up to 1,536 CpG loci in a cancer or custom panel.
• Genotyping: Characterization of cell lines by haplotype structure using high density SNP genotyping arrays. Such studies may identify the presence of genetic variation contributing to or linked to predisposition to complex diseases.