Reik Wolf, Surani M Azim
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.
Wellcome Trust Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute & Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QN, United Kingdom.
Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2015 Nov 2;7(11):a019422. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a019422.
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.
表观遗传机制在生殖系和印记循环中起着至关重要的作用。生殖细胞在为全能状态的产生做准备时表现出广泛的表观遗传编程，这反过来又导致囊胚中多能细胞的建立。后者是多能胚胎干细胞在培养中得以衍生和维持的细胞来源。囊胚着床后，着床后上胚层细胞开始发育，这些细胞会产生所有体细胞以及原始生殖细胞，即精子和卵子的前体。培养中的多能干细胞可被诱导在培养中分化为体细胞和生殖细胞。了解生殖系中发生的表观遗传重编程的自然循环，将有助于为治疗和研究目的生成更好、更通用的干细胞。
