Background information
StemMACS™ CHIR99021 is a highly selective inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), a crucial regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway. The aminopyridine CHIR99021 inhibits both GSK-3 isoforms, GSK-3α (IC50 10 nM) and GSK-3β (IC50 6.7 nM). Unlike other GSK-3 inhibitors, it does not cross-react with cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Activation of Wnt signaling via CHIR99021-mediated GSK-3 inhibition is widely used to modulate pluripotent stem cell differentiation and self-renewal.
Applications
Published applications for CHIR99021 include:
- Naïve, ground state culture of murine ES and iPS cells using 2i conditions1
- Naïve, ground state culture of rat ES and iPS cells using 3i conditions2
- Naïve, ground state culture of human ES and iPS cells3
- Differentiation of human ES and iPS cells into cardiomyocytes4
- Differentiation of human ES and iPS cells into skeletal muscle5
- Differentiation of human ES and iPS cells into definitive endoderm6
- Chemical Reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts5
