About WiCell Cytogenetics Services

WiCell established its Cytogenetics Laboratory in 2005 to meet the growing need of UW–Madison and WiCell researchers to monitor karyotypic stability in their human embryonic stem (ES) cell cultures. WiCell Cytogenetics Laboratory currently provides full-service cytogenetic testing for companies and institutions worldwide, for many different cell types including but not limited to human and mouse ES and iPS cells. Download our Cytogenetics Factsheet.

WiCell Cytogenetics Laboratory Guidelines for cytogenetic testing methods of pluripotent stem cell lines
Assay When to Use
g-banded karyotyping
  • As a baseline genomic screen
    • At derivation of cell lines
    • At the start of experimental protocols
    • To assess and monitor genomic stability (ex. every 5-10 passages of cell culture)
    • At conclusion of experiments (prior to publication)
    • For cell line banking
  • When publication-quality karyotypes are needed
Spectral Karyotyping (SKY)
  • As an adjunct to g-banded karyotyping
    • To define complex rearrangements
    • To identify marker chromosomes
  • When publication-quality spectral karyotypes are needed
CGH + SNP Microarray
           
  • As a baseline genomic screen
    • To detect LOH (Loss of Heterozygosity)
    • To detect submicroscopic (<5Mb) abnormalities
    • To identify amplified or deleted genes of interest
  • In conjunction with g-banded karyotyping
    • To define translocation breakpoints
  • For research of genomic copy number change
    • To identify structural variation within populations or disease cohorts
    • To develop a cell line copy number variant profile
SNP Microarray
  • As a baseline genomic screen
    • To detect LOH (Loss of Heterozygosity) / AOH (Absence of Heterozygosity)
    • To detect submicroscopic (<5Mb) abnormalities
    • To identify amplified or deleted genes of interest
  • In conjunction with g-banded karyotyping
    • To define translocation breakpoints
  • For cell line genotyping
  • For research of genomic copy number change
CGH Microarray
  • As a baseline genomic screen
    • To detect submicroscopic (<5Mb) abnormalities
    • To identify amplified or deleted genes of interest
  • In conjunction with g-banded karyotyping
    • To define translocation breakpoints
  • For research of genomic copy number change
    • To identify structural variation within populations or disease cohorts
    • To develop a cell line copy number variant profile 
Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH)
  • To confirm findings and refine breakpoints detected by g-banded karyotyping
  • To confirm findings and localize genomic gains detected by aCGH analysis
  • As a screen for microdeletions/duplications of known targets
fastFISH
  • As a rapid screen for large numbers of clone
  • As a cost-effective tool for monitoring aneuploidy         
Short Tandem Repeat Analysis (STR)
  • To monitor identity of a cell lines
  • To confirm relationship of iPS cells to their parent
  • To establish an STR profile of a newly derived or reprogrammed cell line
  • To rule out culture cross-contamination

Your lab can benefit
from WiCell’s:

  • rapid turnaround time
  • staff certified in clinical cytogenetics
  • dependable, high quality results
  • cost-effective pricing
  • publication-ready imaging
 

What our customers
are saying

“Before we began using WiCell’s cytogenetic services, we often waited weeks or even months to receive karyotype data. Experiments often were delayed and our lab staff was frustrated. The fast turnaround and high levels of communication from the WiCell Cytogenetic Lab has allowed karyotyping to become a routine quality control measure for us, not a bottleneck to research projects.”

— Jessica Antosiewicz-Bourget, lab manager for Dr. James Thomson, University of Wisconsin–Madison and Morgridge Institute for Research

 

“Cytogenetics is a key component of Quality Control testing for stem cell products and a critical support service for our research and cell banking projects. The WiCell Cytogenetic Lab has provided reliable karyotyping services with rapid turnaround time for all of our projects. Its fast response has allowed us to pursue aggressive timelines in development projects and prevented us from wasting valuable resources on abnormal cell lines.”

— Derek Hei, Technical Director; Waisman Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility
Director; Former U.S. National Stem Cell Bank