Live-cell immunofluorescence staining of human pluripotent stem cells

Antibodies are instrumental tools in stem cell identification, purification, and analysis. Most commonly, cell samples are either dissociated to obtain a single-cell suspension suitable for FACS analysis or cell sorting, or fixed in situ for immunostaining and fluorescence microscopy imaging. This unit describes an alternative method in which live adherent cells are stained and imaged in situ without the need for cell dissociation, fixation, or fluorescent reporter genes. This minimally invasive method is particularly useful for identification and distinction of fully and partially reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The unit also describes the use of mCD49e and hCD29 antibodies in live-cell (vital) imaging. mCD49e strongly stains mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder cells in human pluripotent stem cell cultures, whereas hCD29 recognizes an antigen expressed on undifferentiated and many differentiated cells. A distinguishing feature of hCD29 in live-cell staining is that its antigen is precluded from detection wherever cells have formed tight epithelial junctions (e.g., in the center but not the periphery of pluripotent stem cell colonies) due to basolateral location. A non-fluorescent fixed-cell staining protocol is also provided for medium- to high-throughput quantification of stem cell experiments without an automated microscope. The discussion addresses technical limitations, pitfalls, troubleshooting, and potential applications, such as identification of emerging bona fide human iPSC colonies in reprogramming experiments.