Growing human trophoblasts in vitro: a review of the media commonly used in trophoblast cell culture

Abstract

Trophoblasts are unique epithelial cells found only in the placenta. It has been possible to isolate and maintain human trophoblasts in in vitro culture for many decades. During this period there have been a vast array of media and supplements reported for trophoblast culture and often the reasons for using the media and specific supplements employed in any given laboratory have been lost in the ‘mists of time’. After a gradual development over many years this field has recently changed, with the publication of several reports of the isolation, growth and differentiation of human trophoblast stem or stem-like cells. This advance was made largely because of a greater understanding of the molecular pathways that control human trophoblasts and availability of media supplements that can be used to manipulate those pathways. We have searched the literature and here summarise many of the different media and supplements and describe how and why they were developed and are used to culture human trophoblasts.