In collaboration with Ajinomoto, Ghuware TOYAMA of Keie University developed a method to kill remaining undifferentiated iPS cells after differentiation. Differentiated myocardial cells grow on extracellular lactic acid whereas undifferentiated ES – iPS cells do not. Expansion of a mixture of undifferentiated and differentiated cells on a lactic acid medium thus removes the ES – iPS cells. The procedure can be speeded up to 24 hours when neither glucose nor glutamine is available – another source of ATP for ES – iPS cells. Differentiated myocardial cells can form both glucose and glutamic acid from lactic acid.

Keio University press release, April 1, 2016