hiPSC-based viral infection models

SARS-CoV-2 primarily infects human airway epithelial cells, but there is increasing evidence that the virus can also infect other cell types that express the ACE2 receptor, such as cardiomyocytes, hepatocytes, and pancreatic endocrine cells (Yang et al. 2020). As you work tirelessly to understand COVID-19 pathogenesis, we can support your research with our hiPSC-derived cell models. These complete culture systems, including hiPSC-derived hepatocytes, beta cells, cardiomyocytes, and intestinal epithelial cells, aid in understanding viral infection and transmission mechanisms as well as identifying novel methods for blocking COVID-19 progression. Our hiPSC-derived cells display functional and mature characteristics of their primary-cell counterparts. They are ideal model systems for generating meaningful, reproducible results so you can quickly advance your COVID-19 research.

Hepatocytes | Beta cells | Cardiomyocytes | Intestinal epithelial cells | All products

Hepatocytes

Cellartis enhanced hiPS-HEP v2 cells provide an inexhaustible, consistent supply of functional and mature hepatocytes that can be used to study hepatocyte function over a 14-day assay window, making them ideal for metabolic disease modeling, drug discovery, and studies of drug metabolism and toxicity. They display important characteristics of mature hepatocytes, including expression of key hepatocyte markers (see figure below), secretion of albumin and urea, and functional regulation of glucose and lipids. If you want to study the effects of genetic background on infection and transmission, you can generate hepatocytes from your own hiPSC lines using our Cellartis iPS Cell to Hepatocyte Differentiation System.

Beta cells

Cellartis hiPS beta cells are generated using a standardized differentiation protocol that mimics embryonic development. These cells have been used for applications including compound screening for insulin secretion and regulation, GSIS analysis, and incretin response studies. We offer two complete kits, each containing cells that originate from healthy donors, including one with a diabetes-susceptible HLA type (HLA-A*02:01). Both kits offer a virtually unlimited source of cells that recapitulate key beta cell functions; they express beta cell-specific genes (see figure below), express insulin and C-peptide, and display an appropriate response to drugs that target the insulin pathway, allowing a more realistic study of beta-cell function in the face of a viral challenge.

Cardiomyocytes

Cellartis cardiomyocytes are a highly homogeneous population of cardiomyocytes derived from human iPS cells that have been used for applications such as phenotypic screening, discovery of novel drug targets, safety pharmacology, and cardiotoxicity testing. The cells display an electrophysiological profile that highly resembles adult human primary cardiomyocytes; respond as expected to cardiac stimuli; and are derived with a robust, efficient cardiac differentiation protocol, without genetic engineering or selection. These cells have been used successfully in the generation of human-engineered heart tissue and for high-throughput electrophysiological analysis.

Intestinal epithelial cells

Cellartis intestinal epithelial cells are small intestinal epithelial cells derived from human iPS cells that have been used for evaluation of drug absorption and metabolism in the small intestine, ADME profiling in drug discovery, and drug permeability assays. The cells form a functional, permeable barrier and express villin and CDX2. In addition, the cells have higher expression of the metabolic enzyme CYP3A4 and transporter PEPT1 compared to the human colon cancer Caco-2 cell line. This allows for better predictive results when evaluating metabolic absorption and drug interactions.

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References

Yang, L. et al. A Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-based Platform to Study SARS-CoV-2 Tropism and Model Virus Infection in Human Cells and Organoids. Cell Stem Cell 27, 125–136 (2020).