2023 Volume 35 Issue 207 Pages E78-E80
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on the cell surface and in the extra cellular matrix have multiple biological roles, including cell signaling. They have a characteristic repeating disaccharide structure and are sulfated by sulfotransferases, the resulting combination of which governs which signal ligands bind to them.
Mouse and human pluripotent stem cells have the potential to differentiate into all cell types, and many signalings and growth factors regulate their states of pluripotency and differentiation. Recent studies are elucidating the specific roles of GAGs in controlling pluripotency and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells through signaling regulation. In this minireview, we present the functions of GAGs in pluripotent stem cells that have been elucidated so far.
