Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry
uncovered over 5,000 proteins that are present in mouse
embryonic stem cells. Around 1,700 proteins have already been
identified in stem cells. Using mass spectrometry and special
heavy amino acids made with carbon-13, the Max-Plank team report
that they quantified 5,111 distinct mouse stem-cell proteins. As
expected, a good portion of these proteins are involved in rapid
cell growth, but overall, the proteome encompassed a broad range
of cell functions. The study is published in the April issue of
Molecular and Cellular Proteomics.