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When Myc's asleep, embryonic stem cells are dormant
Author(s) -
Nakagawa Masato,
Karagiannis Peter,
Yamanaka Shinya
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.15252/embj.201694095
Subject(s) - reprogramming , biology , embryonic stem cell , induced pluripotent stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , cellular differentiation , diapause , proto oncogene proteins c myc , cell , genetics , regulation of gene expression , gene , botany , larva
Myc is one of the original reprogramming factors used to produce induced pluripotent stem cells. However, it is not necessary, instead its main role is to increase the efficiency of the reprogramming. The article by Scognamiglio et al ([Scognamiglio R, 2016]) helps clarify how. The authors show that Myc depletion leads to a reversible dormant state consistent with diapause. In this state, the cell sees its proliferation potential diminished but its pluripotency unchanged. The ability to coordinate the induction of this state should have important implications in cell differentiation.