Stemporters (iPSC Reporters)

   Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells are believed to be identical to natural pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem (ES) cells, in many respects, including the expression of certain stem cell genes and proteins, chromatin methylation patterns, doubling time, embryoid body formation, and teratoma formation. Co-expression or activation of iPSC reprogramming genes are critical genetic events for the maintaince of both ESC and iPSCs, and monitoring the expression profile of iPSC reprogramming genes in turn would be suggestive of cell's pluripotent status. As a leader in iPSC stem cell research, scientists at abm have developed iPSC reporter vectors that allow instant identification of iPSC clones by using adenoviral vector-based reporters. The advantage of adenoviral vectors are high transduction efficiency of 100% for all human cell types and transient expression nature of the vector.
   To this end, we have developed both specific gene promoter-based reporters including OCT4, Sox2, etc. In addition, we have licensed from the University of Toronto and developed highly sensitive, universally applicable EOS lentiviral and adenoviral vectors for immediate iPSC identification. EOS (Early Transposon promoter and Oct-4 and Sox2 enhancers) element is a newly identified promoter that only functional in stem cells, but not differentiated cells, thus usful as a reporter promoter for stem cell identification.