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Employing core regulatory circuits to define cell identity
Author(s) -
Almeida Nathalia,
Chung Matthew W H,
Drudi Elena M,
Engquist Elise N,
Hamrud Eva,
Isaacson Abigail,
Tsang Victoria S K,
Watt Fiona M,
Spagnoli Francesca M
Publication year - 2021
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.2020106785
Subject(s) - regenerative medicine , stem cell , identity (music) , medicine , library science , art , biology , computer science , genetics , aesthetics
The interplay between extrinsic signaling and downstream gene networks controls the establishment of cell identity during development and its maintenance in adult life. Advances in next‐generation sequencing and single‐cell technologies have revealed additional layers of complexity in cell identity. Here, we review our current understanding of transcription factor (TF) networks as key determinants of cell identity. We discuss the concept of the core regulatory circuit as a set of TFs and interacting factors that together define the gene expression profile of the cell. We propose the core regulatory circuit as a comprehensive conceptual framework for defining cellular identity and discuss its connections to cell function in different contexts.