A flask full of cells is useful when they retain the identity and capability your next step needs. That makes the culture environment worth testing. SENCE™ supplies hydrogel-coated plates and coverslips with defined stiffness and built-in protein-binding chemistry. Start with your maintenance protocol on two selected stiffnesses. Match the starting cell state, passage and medium. Verify that ECM type, attachment and presentation are matched, then follow both cultures through the same schedule. Count viable cells, measure the identity markers you need, and test a relevant function. For a maintenance workflow, include the ability to enter the differentiation step you intend to use next. On the published StemBond platform, soft hydrogels supported naïve identity in mouse embryonic stem cells. Self-renewal under reduced soluble support was tested by replating the cells into supportive conditions. Select conditions against your own identity and function criteria, then evaluate them through further passages or differentiation. The useful result is a culture you understand well enough to develop further. Our Early Access Program brings StemBond's product and practical experience into that work. Plan a comparison around the cell state you need.