The HCELL glycoform of CD44 confers tropism to bone, as scientists of Harvard University found out. They discovered a readily translatable roadmap for programming cellular trafficking by chemical engineering of glycans on a distinct membrane glycoprotein.

Human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs, also termed 'mesenchymal stem cells') cannot express E-selectin ligands, but they do express a CD44 glycoform with alpha-2,3-sialyl modifications. The Harvard scientists converted the native CD44 glycoform on MSCs into hematopoietic cell E-selectin/L-selectin ligand (HCELL6). HCELL6 was able to potently bind E-selectin without effecting cell viability or multipotency. Intravenously infused HCELL+ MSCs were observed to infiltrate bone marrow within hours of infusion. Rare foci of endosteally localised cells and human osteoid generation followed the infiltration.

Related antibodies on antibodies-online.com:

E-Selectin

L-Selectin

CD44

Glycoprotein

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