B3:Characterization and physiological relevance of prominin-1/CD133-containing lipid raft–membrane vesicles released by hematopoietic progenitor cells growing on mesenchymal stromal cells

Project leader: Dr. D. Corbeil

Prominin-1/CD133 is a membrane microdomain-associated protein, which is concentrated in plasma membrane protrusions of various cell types including neural and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). A key observation made during the first funding period of the SFB655 is that prominin-1 is found not only in membrane protrusions of HSCs, but also in small membrane vesicles that are released from them during their differentiation suggesting a link between the loss of these vesicles and cell differentiation. In the second funding period, we propose to dissect the subcellular origin of them, their physiological function and finally their composition.