Project Details
Projekt
The metabolic characteristics of stem cells
Applicant
Dr. Michael Cross
Subject Area
Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
Term
from 2006 to 2008
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 18735683
The successful development of somatic stem cell therapy and tissue engineering applications will require a thorough understanding of the mechanisms controlling the proliferation and development of stem cells. There is increasing evidence that stem cells possess unique metabolic characteristics which are intimately involved in their response to extracellular signals. We have established novel, high-throughput procedures for screening the effects of different culture environments on the maintenance and proliferation of stem cells, and in this way have revealed interactions between metabolic, signaling and physiochemical environments which influence stem cell fate. It is now proposed to extend the screening approach to consider the effects of two and three-factor combinations of metabolites, hormones and signaling pathways on the maintenance and amplification of primary stem cells in serum-free cultures. We will also compare the characteristics and requirements of haemopoietic cells to those of other stem cell populations, and characterize directly the relationship between the activity of distinct metabolic pathways (glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway and the TCA cycle) and the self-renewal/lineage commitment of adult stem cells.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
