Towards automated control of embryonic stem cell pluripotency. Issue 26 (2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khazim, Mahmoud; Postiglione, Lorena; Pedone, Elisa; Rocca, Dan L.; Zahra, Carine; Marucci, Lucia
• Is Part Of: IFAC-PapersOnLine. Volume 52:Issue 26(2019)
• Page Start: 82
• Page End: 87
• Publication Date: 2019
• Subjects: Automatic control -- Open-loop -- Closed-loop -- Control engineering -- Image segmentation -- Cellular automation; Automatic control -- Periodicals; 629.805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2019.12.240
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-8963

Abstract

Abstract: Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) have been shown to exist in three distinct pluripotent states (ground, naïve and primed pluripotent states), depending on culture conditions. External feedback control strategies have been, so far, mainly used to automatically regulate gene expression in bacteria and yeast. Here, we exploit a microfluidics/microscopy platform and segmentation and external feedback control algorithms for the automatic regulation of pluripotency phenotypes in mESCs. We show feasibility of automatically controlling, in living mESCs, levels of an endogenous pluripotency gene, Rex1, through a fluorescent reporter, used as control output, and drugs commonly used to modulate pluripotency (i.e. MEK kinase and Gsk3β inhibitors) as control inputs. Our results will ultimately aid in the derivation of superior protocols for pluripotency maintenance and differentiation of mouse and human stem cells.