Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, The International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2012 Mar;8(1):67-77. doi: 10.1007/s12015-011-9300-4.
Pluripotent embryonic stem cells can give rise to almost all somatic cell types but this characteristic requires precise control of their gene expression patterns. The necessity of keeping the entire genome "poised" to enter into any of a number of developmental possibilities requires a unique and highly plastic chromatin organisation based around specific patterns of histone modifications although this state of affairs is normally short lived during embryonic development. By deriving embryonic stem cells from the early embryo, we can preserve the highly specialised genome organisation and this has permitted several detailed investigations into the molecular basis of pluripotency.
多能胚胎干细胞可以分化为几乎所有体细胞类型，但这种特性需要精确控制其基因表达模式。为了使整个基因组保持“准备”状态，以进入多种发育可能性中的任何一种，需要一种基于特定组蛋白修饰模式的独特且高度可塑性的染色质组织，但在胚胎发育过程中，这种状态通常是短暂的。通过从早期胚胎中提取胚胎干细胞，我们可以保留高度特化的基因组组织，这使得对多能性的分子基础进行了几项详细的研究。
