This book collects the most effective and cutting-edge methods and protocols for deriving and culturing human embryonic and adult stem cells—in one handy resource.

This groundbreaking book follows the tradition of previous books in the Culture of Specialized Cells Series—each methods and protocols chapter is laid out exactly like the next, with stepwise protocols, preceded by specific requirements for that protocol, and a concise discussion of methods illustrated by data. The editors describe a limited number of representative techniques across a wide spectrum of stem cells from embryonic, newborn, and adult tissue, yielding an all-encompassing and versatile guide to the field of stem cell biology and culture.

The book includes a comprehensive list of suppliers for all equipment used in the protocols presented, with websites available in an appendix. Additionally, there is a chapter on quality control, and other chapters covering legal and ethical issues, cryopreservation, and feeder layer culture. This text is a one-stop resource for all researchers, clinical scientists, teachers, and students involved in this crucial area of study.

R. Ian Freshney, PhD, Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Oncology and Applied Pharmacology at the University of Glasgow, is the bestselling author of Culture of Animal Cells, which appeared in its fifth edition in 2005, and is the Series Editor for the Culture of Specialized Cells series (all published by Wiley).

Glyn N. Stacey, PhD, is Director of the United Kingdom Stem Cell Bank, and Head of the Cell Biology and Imaging Division at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. Dr. Stacey is internationally known and a sought-after speaker on safety and quality control issues in the use of stem cells.

Jonathan M. Auerbach, PhD, previously director of the Stem Cell Center, American Type Culture Collection, in Manassas, Virginia, is now a Project Leader with GlobalStem, Inc., in Rockville, Maryland, and has been at the forefront of human stem cell research for many years.