Breathing chromatin in pluripotent stem cells.
Only a few factors controlling stem cell pluripotency have been identified to date, and we do not yet fully understand how they act to maintain pluripotency and control differentiation. A report in this issue of Developmental Cell (Meshorer et al., 2006) describes a new trait of pluripotent cells: hyperdynamic or "breathing" chromatin. According to this report, hyperdynamic chromatin is both specific and functionally relevant for pluripotent cells.
Zwaka
Thomas P
TP
Center for Cell and Gene Therapy and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
D002843:Chromatin