title: Molecular control of pluripotency.
abstract: Transcriptional regulators and epigenetic modifiers play crucial roles throughout development to ensure that proper gene expression patterns are established and maintained in any given cell type. Recent genome-wide studies have begun to unravel how genetic and epigenetic factors maintain the undifferentiated state of embryonic stem cells while allowing these cells to remain poised to differentiate into somatic cells in response to developmental cues. These studies provide a conceptual framework for understanding pluripotency and lineage-specification at the molecular level.
authors.affiliation: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
authors.forename: Laurie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mathur
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jaenisch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors