Blood Group ABO Antigen Expression in Human Embryonic Stem Cells and in Differentiated Hepatocyte- and Cardiomyocyte-Like Cells

Abstract

Since clinical stem-cell therapy is likely to be performed with immature progenitor cells, blood group ABO compatibility of donor cells/recipients should be favorable to avoid unnecessary rejection problems caused by ABO incompatibility. The in vitro loss of B antigens in a genotype B hESC line indicates that loss of ABH antigens occurs early during human embryogenesis since these antigens are lacking in adult cardiomyocytes.