Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2011;12:165-85. doi: 10.1146/annurev-genom-082410-101506.
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) first derived from the inner cell mass of blastocyst-stage embryos have the unique capacity of indefinite self-renewal and potential to differentiate into all somatic cell types. Similar developmental potency can be achieved by reprogramming differentiated somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Both types of pluripotent stem cells provide great potential for fundamental studies of tissue differentiation, and hold promise for disease modeling, drug development, and regenerative medicine. Although much has been learned about the molecular mechanisms that underlie pluripotency in such cells, our understanding remains incomplete. A comprehensive understanding of ESCs and iPSCs requires the deconstruction of complex transcription regulatory networks, epigenetic mechanisms, and biochemical interactions critical for the maintenance of self-renewal and pluripotency. In this review, we will discuss recent advances gleaned from application of global "omics" techniques to dissect the molecular mechanisms that define the pluripotent state.
胚胎干细胞（ESCs）最初来源于囊胚期胚胎的内细胞团，具有无限自我更新和分化为所有体细胞类型的潜能。通过将分化的体细胞重编程为诱导多能干细胞（iPSCs）也可以实现类似的发育潜能。这两种多能干细胞为组织分化的基础研究提供了巨大的潜力，并为疾病建模、药物开发和再生医学带来了希望。尽管我们已经了解了支持这些细胞多能性的分子机制，但我们的理解仍然不完整。全面了解 ESC 和 iPSC 需要解构复杂的转录调控网络、表观遗传机制和对维持自我更新和多能性至关重要的生化相互作用。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论从应用全局“组学”技术中获得的最新进展，这些技术用于剖析定义多能状态的分子机制。
