title: Capturing pluripotency.
abstract: In this Essay, we argue that pluripotent epiblast founder cells in the embryo and embryonic stem (ES) cells in culture represent the ground state for a mammalian cell, signified by freedom from developmental specification or epigenetic restriction and capacity for autonomous self-replication. We speculate that cell-to-cell variation may be integral to the ES cell condition, safe-guarding self-renewal while continually presenting opportunities for lineage specification.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Austin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases