title: Choose your destiny: Make a cell fate decision with COUP-TFII.
abstract: Cell fate specification is a critical process to generate cells with a wide range of characteristics from stem and progenitor cells. Emerging evidence demonstrates that the orphan nuclear receptor COUP-TFII serves as a key regulator in determining the cell identity during embryonic development. The present review summarizes our current knowledge on molecular mechanisms by which COUP-TFII employs to define the cell fates, with special emphasis on cardiovascular and renal systems. These novel insights pave the road for future studies of regenerative medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Adrienne Helis Malvin Medical Research Foundation, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA.
authors.forename: San-Pin
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Cheng-Tai
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: stsai@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Sophia Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: mtsai@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Ming-Jer
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology*; D051836:COUP Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D051836:COUP Transcription Factors
keywords: Blood vessels; COUP-TFII; Cell fate specification; Heart; Kidney; Lymphatic vessels