Highly sensitive droplet digital PCR method for detection of residual undifferentiated cells in cardiomyocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells

Human iPSCs were maintained on laminin-521 in Essential 8 medium. Cardiac differentiation on laminin-521 and Matrigel. Adult human cardiomyocytes (Promocell, Heidelberg) were cultured on laminin-211 in the Promocell myocyte growth medium. The authors have established a sensitive assay for the detection of the residual undifferentiated hiPSCs in cardiomyocytes, using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). LIN28 was the most sensitive marker of residual undifferentiated cells in hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes but also in other tissues such as liver, heart, pancreas, kidney, spinal cord, corneal epithelium, and lung. Hence, the LIN28/ddPCR method is applicable to the quality control of hiPSC-derived cell therapy products.