New stem cell medium creates contracting canine heart muscle cells
In research, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are derived from skin, urine, or blood samples and developed into other cells, like heart tissue, that researchers want to study. Because of the similarities between certain dog and human diseases, canine iPS cells have potential uses in regenerative medicine and drug discovery.
Research on iPS cells is challenging because the cells are extremely sensitive to culture conditions. Before they are developed into other cells, iPS cells are in an undifferentiated state. At this stage, the cells are grown in a culture medium that provides the essential nutrients, growth factors, and signaling molecules that they ...