SSEA-3

Full Name

Stage-specific embryonic antigen 3

Keywords

SSEA3; SSEA-3; Stage specific embryonic antigen 3; Stage-specific embryonic antigen 3

Background

SSEA-3 (stage-specific embryonic antigen 3) is a cell surface antigen, expressed along with SSEA-4, TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81 in embryonic stem cells, embryonal carcinoma cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). In human cells, these surface markers are down-regulated during the differentiation process, while SSEA1 is absent in undifferentiated human stem cells and upregulated on the cell surface after retinoic acid mediated differentiation. Conversely, in mouse stem cells, SSEA-1 expression decreases with differentiation while SSEA-3 and SSEA-4 expression increase.