Membrane glycolipids in stem cells

Stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, neural stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and very small embryonic-like stem cells, are undifferentiated cells that are endowed with a high potential for proliferation and the capacity for self-renewal with retention of pluri/multipotency to differentiate into their progenies. Recently, studies regarding the biological functions of glycolipids and cell surface microdomains (caveolae, lipid rafts, or glycolipid-enriched microdomains) in stem cells are emerging. In this review, we introduce the expression patterns of glycolipids and the functional roles of cell surface microdomains in stem cells. (C) 2009 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.