Low Fucosylation Defines the Glycocalyx of Progenitor Cells and Melanocytes in the Human Limbal Stem Cell Niche

The study investigates the role of the glycocalyx in the regulation of adult stem cells, focusing on the human limbal stem cell niche. It reveals that low fucosylation, indicated by low binding of Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL), characterizes epithelial progenitor cells and melanocytes in the limbus. This low fucosylation is associated with high clonogenic capacity and is gradually lost as cells differentiate. The study identifies reduced expression of GDP-mannose-4,6-dehydratase in AAL^low cells, which is crucial for GDP-fucose biosynthesis. Inhibiting fucosylation enhances the proliferative potential of limbal epithelial cells, highlighting the importance of fucose modulation in stem cell regeneration therapies.