The role of pluripotency gene regulatory network components in mediating transitions between pluripotent cell states.
Pluripotency is a property that early embryonic cells possess over a considerable developmental time span. Accordingly, pluripotent cell lines can be established from the pre-implantation or post-implantation mouse embryo as embryonic stem (ES) or epiblast stem (EpiSC) cell lines, respectively. Maintenance of the pluripotent phenotype depends on the function of specific transcription factors (TFs) operating within a pluripotency gene regulatory network (PGRN). As cells move from an ES cell to an EpiSC state, the PGRN changes with expression of some TFs reduced (e.g. Nanog) or eliminated (e.g. Esrrb). Re-expressing such TFs can move cells back to an earlier developmental identity and is being applied to attempt establishment of human cell lines with the properties of mouse ES cells.
MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, Scotland, United Kingdom. Electronic address: nicola.festuccia@ed.ac.uk.
Nicola
N
Festuccia
Rodrigo
R
Osorno
Valerie
V
Wilson
Ian
I
Chambers
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D005855:Germ Layers / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism