Immunoassaying services for ES cell Markers

• Undifferentiated human and murine pluripotent Embryonic Stem (ES) and Embryonic Carcinoma (EC) cells express high level of expression of the POU transcription factor Octamer-4 (Oct-4). The POU transcription factors control expression of CNS stem cell-specific genes.
• Following stem cell differentiation, the level of Oct-4 expression decreases.
• Pluripotent stem cells can also be characterized by the expression of a number of cell surface antigens.
• SSEA-1, a carbohydrate antigen, is a fucosylated derivative of type 2 polylactosamine and appears during late cleavage stages of mouse embryos. It is strongly expressed by undifferentiated, murine ES cells. Upon differentiation, murine ES cells are characterized by the loss of SSEA-1 expression and may be accompanied, in some instances, by the appearance of SSEA-3 and SSEA-4. In contrast, human ES and EC cells typically express SSEA-3 and SSEA-4 but not SSEA-1, while their differentiation is characterized by down regulation of SSEA-3 and SSEA-4 and an up regulation of SSEA-1 .
• Undifferentiated, human ES cells also express the keratan sulphate-associated antigens, TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81