Available human feeder cells for the maintenance of human embryonic stem cells.

Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) have been previously used as feeder cells to support the growth of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). In this study, human adult uterine endometrial cells (hUECs), human adult breast parenchymal cells (hBPCs) and embryonic fibroblasts (hEFs) were tested as feeder cells for supporting the growth of hESCs to prevent the possibility of contamination from animal feeder cells. Cultured hUECs, hBPCs and hEFs were mitotically inactivated and then plated.