title: A matter of some importins: nuclear transport factors in ES cell maintenance and differentiation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Organogenesis and Neurogenesis Group, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe 650-0047, Japan. yoshikisasai@cdb.riken.jp
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasai
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D028901:alpha Karyopherins