MITOCHONDRIAL INHIBITORS FOR USE IN CULTURING PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS

摘要

Disclosed are certain heterocyclic organic compounds that inhibit mitochondrial respiration and also lead to the maintenance of pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells in culture, even in the presence of oxygen. Exemplified are compounds, such as substituted 5-aminotetrazoles, which are reversible mitochondrial inhibitors. The pluripotency of the stem cells after culture is verified by the overexpression of pluripotent stem cell markers, exemplified by at least one of the genes NANOG, OCT4, and SURVIVIN after periods of culture in ambient oxygen.