Figure 1. Expansion of CD34⁺ Human Cord Blood Cells Cultured in StemSpan™ Media Containing CC100 Cytokine Cocktail

Purified CD34⁺ human cord blood (CB) cells were suspended at a concentration of 10,000 per mL in StemSpan™ SFEM (dark gray bars), SFEM II (blue bars) and AOF (orange bars) media containing CC100 Cytokine Cocktail (Catalog #02690). Cultures were maintained for 7 days, after which the cells were counted and examined for CD34 and CD45 expression by flow cytometry. Shown are the fold expansion of total nucleated cells (TNC) (A) and CD34⁺ cells (B) per input CD34⁺ cell, and the percent CD34 + cells (C). Results represent the average results of 32 different CB samples. Vertical lines indicate 95% confidence limits, the range within which 95% of results fall. The numbers of cells produced in StemSpan™ SFEM II were significantly higher than in StemSpan™ SFEM and StemSpan™-AOF (*p<0.001, paired t-test, n=32).

Note: Data for StemSpan™-AOF shown were generated with the original phenol red-containing version StemSpan™-ACF (Catalog #09855). However internal testing showed that the performance of the new phenol red-free, cGMP-manufactured version, StemSpan™-AOF (Catalog #100-0130) was comparable.

Figure 2. Expansion of CD34⁺ Human Cord Blood Cells Cultured in StemSpan™ Media Containing CD34⁺ Expansion Supplement

Purified CD34⁺ human cord blood (CB) cells were suspended at a concentration of 10,000 per mL in StemSpan™ SFEM (dark gray bars), SFEM II (blue bars) and AOF (orange bars) media containing CD34⁺ Expansion Supplement (Catalog #02691). Cultures were maintained for 7 days, after which the cells were counted and examined for CD34 and CD45 expression by flow cytometry. The number of colony-forming units (CFU) in the expanded population was determined by replating cells in MethoCult™ H4435 and counting the number of colonies produced 14 days later. Shown are the fold expansion of total nucleated cells (TNC) (A), CD34⁺ cells (B) and CFU numbers (C) per input CD34⁺ cell, and the percent CD34⁺ cells (D) in these cultures (n=6). Vertical lines indicate 95% confidence limits, the range within which 95% of results fall. The numbers of cells produced in StemSpan™ SFEM II was significantly higher than in SFEM and AOF (*p<0.001, #p<0.05, paired t-test, n=6).

Note: Data for StemSpan™-AOF shown were generated with the original phenol red-containing version StemSpan™-ACF (Catalog #09855). However internal testing showed that the performance of the new phenol red-free, cGMP-manufactured version, StemSpan™-AOF (Catalog #100-0130) was comparable.

Figure 3. StemSpan™ Media Support Greater Expansion of Human CD34⁺ and CD34^bright Cells than Other Commercial Media

Purified CB-derived CD34⁺ cells were cultured for 7 days in select StemSpan™ media (StemSpan™ SFEM, StemSpan™ SFEM II, StemSpan™-XF, or StemSpan™-AOF, orange bars), and in five xeno-free media formulations from other suppliers (Xeno-Free Commercial Alternative, grey bars) including (in random order) CTS™ StemPro™ HSC (Thermo), SCGM (Cellgenix), X-VIVO™ 15 (Lonza), Stemline™ II (Sigma), and StemPro™-34 (Thermo). All media were supplemented with StemSpan™ CD34+ Expansion Supplement and UM171*. The (A) frequency and (B) cell expansion of viable CD34+ and CD34^bright cells in culture were based on viable cell counts and flow cytometry results as shown in Figure 1. StemSpan™ showed significantly higher expansion of CD34⁺ and CD34^bright cells (P < 0.05 when comparing StemSpan™ SFEM II to five media from other suppliers, calculated using a one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s post hoc test) and StemSpan™-AOF, the only animal origin-free formulation, showed equivalent performance to all xeno-free commericals alternatives tested. Data shown are mean ± SEM (n = 8).

Note: Data for StemSpan™-AOF shown were generated with the original phenol red-containing version StemSpan™-ACF (Catalog #09855). However internal testing showed that the performance of the new phenol red-free, cGMP-manufactured version, StemSpan™-AOF (Catalog #100-0130) was comparable. *Similar results are expected when using UM729 (Catalog #72332) prepared to a final concentration of 1μM. For more information including data comparing UM171 and UM729, see Fares et al., 2014.

Figure 4. StemSpan™ Media Support Equal or Greater Expansion of Primitive Human CD34^brightCD90⁺CD45RA^- Cells Than Other Commercial Media

Purified CB-derived CD34⁺ cells were cultured for 7 days in select StemSpan™ media (StemSpan™ SFEM, StemSpan™ SFEM II, StemSpan™-XF, or StemSpan™-AOF, orange bars), and in five xeno-free media formulations from other suppliers (Commercial Alternative, grey bars) including (in random order) CTS StemPro HSC (Thermo), SCGM (Cellgenix), X-VIVO 15 (Lonza), Stemline II (Sigma), and StemPro 34 (Thermo). All media were supplemented with StemSpan™ CD34⁺ Expansion Supplement and UM171*. The (A) frequency and (B) cell expansion of CD34⁺CD90⁺CD45RA^- (solid) and CD34^brightCD90⁺CD45RA^-(dotted overlay) cells in culture were based on viable cell counts and flow cytometry results as shown in Figure 1. StemSpan™ media showed similar or significantly higher expansion of CD34^brightCD90⁺CD45RA^- cells (P < 0.05 compared to five media from other suppliers, calculated using one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s post hoc test) and StemSpan™-AOF, the only animal origin-free formulation tested, showed equivalent performance to all xeno-free commercial alternatives tested. Data shown are mean ± SEM (n = 8).

Note: Data for StemSpan™-AOF shown were generated with the original phenol red-containing version StemSpan™-ACF (Catalog #09855). However internal testing showed that the performance of the new phenol red-free, cGMP-manufactured version, StemSpan™-AOF (Catalog #100-0130) was comparable.

*Similar results are expected when using UM729 (Catalog #72332) prepared to a final concentration of 1μM. For more information including data comparing UM171 and UM729, see Fares et al. 2014.

Table 1. Production of Erythroid Cells From CD34⁺ Human Cord Blood Cells Cultured in StemSpan™ SFEM Serum-Free Expansion Medium Containing Erythroid Expansion Supplement

Numbers and percent of erythroid cells produced after 14 days of culture of enriched CD34 + cells from 14 different cord blood (CB) samples. Erythroid cells were characterized by flow cytometry on the basis of transferrin receptor (CD71) and glycophorin A (CD235) expression.*95% confidence limits, the range within which 95% of the results fall.

Figure 5. StemSpan™ SFEM II Serum-Free Expansion Medium Containing Erythroid Expansion Supplement Supports Greater Expansion of Erythroid Cells Than Other Media Tested

The numbers of erythroid cells, normalized relative to the values obtained in StemSpan™ SFEM medium (dark gray bar), obtained after culturing purified CD34⁺ CB cells for 14 days in StemSpan™ SFEM, SFEM II (blue bar) and AOF (orange bar), and six media from other commercial suppliers (light gray bars, commercial alternative 1-6, which included, in random order, X-Vivo-15 and HPGM (both from Lonza), StemLine II (Sigma), HP01 (Macopharma), StemPro34 (Life Technologies) and SCGM (Cellgenix). All media were supplemented with StemSpan™ Erythroid Expansion Supplement (Catalog #02692). Vertical lines indicate 95% confidence limits, the range within which 95% of results fall. The numbers of cells produced in StemSpan™ SFEM II were significantly higher than in all other media (*p<0.05, paired t-test, n=6).

Note: Data for StemSpan™-AOF shown were generated with the original phenol red-containing version StemSpan™-ACF (Catalog #09855). However internal testing showed that the performance of the new phenol red-free, cGMP-manufactured version, StemSpan™-AOF (Catalog #100-0130) was comparable.

Table 2. Production of Megakaryocytes From CD34+ Human Cord Blood Cells Cultured in StemSpan™ SFEM Serum-Free Expansion Medium Containing Megakaryocyte Expansion Supplement

Numbers and percent of cells expressing the megakaryocyte marker CD41a produced after 14 days of culture of enriched CD34 + cells from 6 independent cord blood (CB) samples. *95% confidence limits, the range within which 95% of the results fall.

Figure 6. StemSpan™ SFEM II Serum-Free Expansion Medium Containing Megakaryocyte Expansion Supplement Supports Greater Expansion of Megakaryocytes Than Other Media Tested

The numbers of megakaryocytes, normalized relative to the values obtained in StemSpan™ SFEM medium (dark gray bar), obtained after culturing purified CD34⁺ CB cells for 14 days in StemSpan™ SFEM, SFEM II (blue bar) and AOF (orange bar), and six media from other commercial suppliers (light gray bars, Commercial Alternative 1-6, which included, in random order, StemLine II (Sigma), HPGM (Lonza), HP01 (Macopharma), SCGM (Cellgenix), StemPro34 (Life Technologies) and X-Vivo-15 (Lonza). All media were supplemented with StemSpan™ Megakaryocyte Expansion Supplement (Catalog #02696). Vertical lines indicate 95% confidence limits, the range within which 95% of results fall. The numbers of cells produced in the StemSpan™ media were significantly higher than in the other media (*p<0.01 paired t-test, n=6).

Note: Data for StemSpan™-AOF shown were generated with the original phenol red-containing version StemSpan™-ACF (Catalog #09855). However internal testing showed that the performance of the new phenol red-free, cGMP-manufactured version, StemSpan™-AOF (Catalog #100-0130) was comparable.