Small Molecule Antagonist of Cell Surface Glycosaminoglycans Restricts Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in a Pluripotent State

• DOI: 10.1002/stem.2714
• Publication Date: 2017-10-06T08:42:48Z
• Authors: Mia L. Huang; Austen L. Michalak; Christopher J. Fi...; Mitchell Christy; Raymond A. A. Smith; Kamil Godula
• Keywords: Pluripotent Stem Cells; 0301 basic medicine; Mice; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Animals; Cell Differentiation; Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells; Glycosaminoglycans

Recently, the field of stem cell-based regeneration has turned its attention toward chemical approaches for controlling pluripotency and differentiation embryonic cells (ESCs) using drug-like small molecule modulators. Growth factor receptors or their associated downstream kinases that regulate intracellular signaling pathways during are typically targets these molecules. The glycocalyx, which plays an essential role in actuating responses to growth factors at cellular boundary, offers underexplored opportunity intervention molecules influence differentiation. Here, we show surfen, antagonist cell-surface glycosaminoglycans required association with cognate receptors, acts as a potent general inhibitor promoter mouse ESCs. This finding shows drugging cell Glycome silence cues can provide powerful new alternative existing techniques fate. Stem Cells 2018;36:45-54.