Fructose vs. Glucose: Modulating Stem Cell Growth and Function Through Sugar Supplementation

Abstract

In multicellular organisms, stem cells are impacted by microenvironmental resources such as nutrient availability and oxygen tension for their survival, growth, and differentiation. However, the accessibility of these resources in the pericellular environment greatly varies from organ to organ. This divergence in resource availability leads to variations in the potency and differentiation potential of stem cells. Moreover, hexose and oxygen levels modulate cytokine production which is crucial for cell-cell communication as well as growth, and differentiation of stem cell. Hence, this study aims to explore the distinct effects of glucose and fructose, as well as different oxygen tensions, on the growth dynamics, cytokine production, and differentiation of stem cells.