Imaging, quantification and visualization of spatio-temporal patterning in mESC colonies under different culture conditions

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) have developed into a prime system to study the regulation of pluripotency in stable cell lines. It is well recognized that different, established protocols for the maintenance of mESC pluripotency support morphologically and functionally different cell cultures. However, it is unclear how characteristic properties of cell colonies develop over time and how they are re-established after cell passage depending on the culture conditions. Furthermore, it appears that cell colonies have an internal structure with respect to cell size, marker expression or biomechanical properties, which is not sufficiently understood. The analysis of these phenotypic properties is essential for a comprehensive understanding of mESC development and ultimately requires a bioinformatics approach to guarantee reproducibility and high-throughput data analysis.