Synthetic polymer coatings for long-term growth of human embryonic stem cells

We report a fully defined synthetic polymer coating, poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide] (PMEDSAH), which sustains long-term human embryonic stem (hES) cell growth in several different culture media, including commercially available defined media. The development of a standardized, controllable and sustainable culture matrix for hES cells is an essential step in elucidating mechanisms that control hES cell behavior and in optimizing conditions for biomedical applications of hES cells.