Large particle multiphoton flow cytometry to purify intact embryoid bodies exhibiting enhanced potential for cardiomyocyte differentiation

Abstract

Embryoid bodies (EBs) are large (>100 μm) 3D microtissues composed of stem cells, differentiating cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins that roughly recapitulate early embryonic development. EBs are widely used as in vitro model systems to study stem cell differentiation and the complex physical and chemical interactions contributing to tissue development. Though much has been learned about differentiation from EBs, the practical and technical difficulties of effectively probing and properly analyzing these 3D microtissues has limited their utility and further application. We describe advancement of a technology platform developed in our laboratory, multiphoton flow cytometry (MPFC), to detect and sort large numbers of intact EBs based on size and fluorescent reporters. Real-time and simultaneous measurement of size and fluorescence intensity are now possible, through the implementation of image processing algorithms in the MPFC software. We applied this platform to purify populations of EBs generated from murine induced pluripotent stem (miPS) cells exhibiting enhanced potential for cardiomyocyte differentiation either as a consequence of size or expression of NKX2-5, a homeodomain protein indicative of precardiac cells. Large EBs (330-400 μm, diameter) purified soon after EB formation showed significantly higher potential to form cardiomyocytes at later time points than medium or small EBs. In addition, EBs expressing NKX2-5 soon after EB formation were more likely to form beating areas, indicative of cardiomyocyte differentiation, at later time points. Collectively, these studies highlight the ability of the MPFC to purify EBs and similar microtissues based on preferred features exhibited at the time of sorting or on features indicative of future characteristics or functional capacity.