title: Germline and Pluripotent Stem Cells.
abstract: Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in the germline and imprinting cycle. Germ cells show extensive epigenetic programming in preparation for the generation of the totipotent state, which in turn leads to the establishment of pluripotent cells in blastocysts. The latter are the cells from which pluripotent embryonic stem cells are derived and maintained in culture. Following blastocyst implantation, postimplantation epiblast cells develop, which give rise to all somatic cells as well as primordial germ cells, the precursors of sperm and eggs. Pluripotent stem cells in culture can be induced to undergo differentiation into somatic cells and germ cells in culture. Understanding the natural cycles of epigenetic reprogramming that occur in the germline will allow the generation of better and more versatile stem cells for both therapeutic and research purposes.
authors.affiliation: The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB2 3EG, United Kingdom Wellcome Trust Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute & Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Reik
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute & Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M Azim
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Surani
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology; D002450:Cell Communication; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019175:DNA Methylation; D047108:Embryonic Development; D057890:Epigenomics; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells; D015053:Zygote / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D006657:Histones