Consultation – No charge
We are here to help you design and troubleshoot your stem cell projects.
iPSC Derivation
We derive iPSCs from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or primary fibroblasts (other cell types are possible, as well, upon discussion). iPSCs are generated using non-integrating Sendai virus carrying the “Yamanaka factors” OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC or mRNA transfection (fibroblasts). Extra services include isolation of PMBCs from fresh blood, isolation of fibroblasts from skin punch biopsies, Sendai clearance test, and functional validation of trilineage differentiation potential. Additionally, we offer technical support in rescuing difficult and unstable iPSC lines.
What you get:
- Three iPSC clones (three vials each: 106 cells/vial)
- Mycoplasma test report
- Panel of pluripotency markers (Immunofluorescence)
Delivery Times:
- iPSC derivation: 6-8 weeks (additional time for different starting cell types than PBMC or fibroblasts)
Gene Editing
We offer a wide array of high-quality gene editing of iPSCs. To overcome the most common challenges of gene editing, we employ smart guides and transfection optimization (for efficient editing), transient RNP expression (to control off-targets), and smart growth and selection (for true clonal editing) in combination with continuous monitoring of morphology and pluripotency markers. We can generate knockout, knock-in (SNP insertions), large deletions, epitope tag insertions, or reporter insertions in both hetero- and homozygosity. Knockouts and knock-ins can be generated as constitutive or as conditional (e.g. Cre recombinase dependent).
What you get:
- Two iPSC clones for either KO, SNP, Tag cell clones (two vials each: 106 cells/vial)
- Indel and Knockout Report (Sanger Sequencing)
Delivery Times:
- Knockouts: 4-10 weeks
- Knock-ins: 10-12 weeks
Editing Reagents For Transgenic Mice
The Stem Cell Engineering CoRE works in combination with the Mouse Genetics and Gene Targeting CoRE to generate transgenic mice, including knockout and knock-in by injection of gene editing reagents into mouse embryo.
iPSC Characterization
To genetically characterize your iPSC, we offer an in-house ultra-fast and inexpensive report of the eight most common karyotypic abnormalities reported in human iPSC. We also provide a more in-depth karyotyping analysis based on microarrays and short tandem repeat or STR analysis for 15 loci to monitor identity of a line.
We offer two panels to functionally characterize your iPSC: the Pluripotency Card to monitor the expression of markers associated with pluripotency, and the Trilineage Card to validate the ability of cells to differentiate to the three germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.
We offer a convenient and cost-effective in-house test to detect all common mycoplasma contaminations in the supernatant of iPSC and other eukaryotic cells.
What you get:
- Assay report and raw data when available
Delivery Times:
- Karyotype: 1-10 weeks
- STR analysis: 5-6 weeks
- Pluripotency Card: 2-4 weeks
- Trilineage Card: 3-5 weeks
- Mycoplasma Test: 1 week
iPSC Differentiation
The CoRE offers differentiation of iPSC to the major lineages including cortical and motor neurons, cardiomyocytes, hepatocytes, skeletal muscle cells, and hematopoietic lineages.
What you get:
- Depending on the lineage, two or more plates of live cultures
Delivery Times:
- Depending on the protocol, 3-10 weeks
Custom Services
Due to the project-specific nature of each project, the CoRE offers customized services tailored to the user’s needs. Please use our free consultation service to inquire about your special needs.
Rates
All service rates are indicated at the point of reservation within the iLab. Please inquire for customized quotes, as editing and differentiation protocols vary depending on cells, locus, and lineage. Discount rates are offered for projects involving more than three lines.
Service Modality
CoRE’s projects are carried under a full-service modality in which after consultation, the CoRE performs the experiment in a sufficient way. The user is only contacted at the end of the service or for major report updates. Alternatively, we offer a host service modality in which the user is involved not only in the planning phase but also in the experimental phase. Under host service modality, personnel from the user’s laboratory and the CoRE work together to carry experiments and interpret results. Please inquire about the discount rates applicable to your host service modality.
CoRE’s Human Pluripotent Stem Cell (PSC)
Master PSC Lines: Master cell lines are well-known human iPSC and embryonic stem cell (ESC) lines quality-ascertained by the CoRE. They are the CoRE’s first choice for editing and differentiation protocols because of their normal and stable karyotype and their amenability to editing. Discounts are applied to projects using master cell lines provided by the CoRE.
Current master PSC lines are
WTC-11
NCRM-2
WA09, H9
WA07, H7
WA01, H1
RUES2
MSN iPSC “control” lines: The choice of proper controls is of paramount importance in iPSC experiment. The MSN (Mount Sinai Normal) lines are part of a collection of iPSC derived from healthy individuals and are available at the CoRE. All lines are authenticated by STR, characterized by IF (Nanog, Oct4, Sox2, SSEA4, TRA1-60) and Tri-lineage differentiation. The lines have normal karyotype tested by G-banding and SNP array-based karyotyping. The MSN lines are derived from fibroblasts using SeV and tested negative for detection of SeV. Clinical data, RNAseq, and Whole-genome sequence (WGS) are available.
Clinical phenotypes, STR and WGS that info is available at dbGAP under restricted control-access and RNA-seq is available from GEO.
The clinical data are also available here.
Additional metadata, signatures, SOPs, and links are available on the Mount Sinai Institute for Systems Biomedicine website.
Fluorescently tagged iPSC lines
Fluorescently tagged iPSC lines are from the Allen Cell Collection. The Collection has 48 high-quality-certified fluorescently tagged hiPSC lines that target 38 key cellular structures and substructures. WGS data (100X coverage) and RNAseq data for the parental line (WTC-11) and for all the edited lines is available here.