A matter of some importins: nuclear transport factors in ES cell maintenance and differentiation.
A recent paper in Nature Cell Biology reports an unexpected role for nuclear transport proteins in triggering the differentiation of ES cells. The authors show how switching of importin-alpha subtypes exerts a selective gate-keeping function in the nuclear import of key transcription factors that regulate stem cell maintenance and differentiation.
Sasai
Yoshiki
Y
Organogenesis and Neurogenesis Group, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan. yoshikisasai@cdb.riken.jp
D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D028901:alpha Karyopherins / Q000378:metabolism*
D020033:Protein Isoforms; D028901:alpha Karyopherins