Utilization of Fluorescent Glucose Analog 2-NBDG as a Metabolic Indicator for FACS Analysis during ES Cell Differentiation

The feasibility of using the fluorescent glucose analog 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-NBDG) as a novel tool for FACS analysis during the ES cell differentiation process has been discussed. 2-NBDG entered into the ES cells via a D-glucose specific uptake activity and a general metabolic activity. Although the 2-NBDG uptake was not distinct enough for discriminating cell types, changes in the histogram of 2-NBDG loaded cells during differentiation paralleled with their morphological changes. Thus, it was suggested that 2-NBDG could be used for monitoring the metabolic status of cells during differentiation as an additional marker for higher resolution analysis by FACS.