Biorelevant culture of neural stem cells on Biolaminin substrates

Laminin expression in the adult brain

Laminin 421, laminin 221, laminin 511 and laminin 521 are the main laminin isoforms expressed in the mouse and human subventricular/subependymal zone and ventricular zone (SVZ/SEZ and VZ) as well as the dentate gyrus of the adult central nervous system (Fietz, 2012; Hall, 2008; Indyk, 2003). Within the adult stem cell niches, the laminins are produced by ependymal cells, transit-amplifying precursors (type C cells), GFAP+ astrocytes and vascular fractions in contact with the stem cells (Shen, 2008; Chen, 2003).

Laminin expression during development

The interaction between integrins and laminins is essential for adhesion and thus the survival, maintenance, proliferation and fate decisions of neural stem cells (NSCs). Neuroepithelial cells and radial glial cells express laminin 511, laminin 521 and laminin 111. Additionally, other different laminin chains may play significant developmentally important roles, such as laminin 421 and laminin 221, which are expressed differently between radial glial cells and SVZ NSCs (Domogatskaya, 2012; Loulier, 2009).

Biolaminin for a better culture of neural stem cells

Early studies using purified placental laminins (mainly laminin 521, 511, 411 and 211) show an increase in the proliferation rate of human NSCs derived from fetal tissue and reduced number of apoptotic cells (Hall, 2008). Human recombinant Biolaminin 521 and Biolaminin 511 substrates also support neural crest cells.


In this video, Associate Professor Anna Falk presents her research on patient-specific neural stem cells which faithfully mimics known neurological disorder phenotypes in vitro. Patient-derived iPSCs are specified to neuroepithelial stem cell lines, efficiently expanded and differentiated into neurons and glial cells on Biolaminin 521.



Biolaminin Key Advantages

The interaction between integrins and laminins is essential for adhesion and survival of neural stem cells (NSCs). This is why including Biolaminins in the culture system has a major effect on the maintenance, proliferation and fate decisions of NSCs.

Specific laminin isoforms are present in different tissue microenvironments and are essential for cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Biolaminin products allow you to imitate the natural cell-matrix interactions in vitro.

All our matrices are chemically defined and animal origin-free, which makes them ideal substrates for each level of the scientific process – from basic research to clinical applications.

Our products have consistent composition and quality. This enables minimized variability between experiments and uniform pluripotency gene expression profiles between different cell lines.

Numerous scientists have found our products and finally succeeded in their specific stem cell application. The power of full-length laminins incorporated into various cell systems is well documented in scientific articles and clinical trials.



  • Biolaminin 521 LN (LN521)

    Human recombinant laminin 521

    Biolaminin 521 LN is the natural laminin for pluripotent stem cells and therefore reliably facilitates self-renewal of human ES and iPS cells in a chemically defined, feeder-free and animal origin-free stem cell culture system. LN521 is animal origin-free to the primary level.
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  • Biolaminin 521 MX (MX521)

    Human recombinant laminin 521

    Biolaminin 521 MX is the natural laminin for pluripotent stem cells and therefore reliably facilitates self-renewal of human ES and iPS cells in a chemically defined, feeder-free stem cell culture system. MX521 is animal origin-free to the secondary level.
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  • Biolaminin 521 CTG (CT521)

    Human recombinant laminin 521

    Biolaminin 521 CTG is a full-length, human, recombinant laminin 521 substrate, the only one of its kind on the market, providing an optimal environment for feeder-free culture of human PSCs, MSCs and most anchorage-dependent progenitor cell types. CT521 is animal origin-free to the secondary level and designed for clinical studies.
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