Epigenetic Priming of Enhancers Predicts Developmental Competence of hESC-Derived Endodermal Lineage Intermediates Investigators report that epigenetic priming of enhancers signifies developmental competence during endodermal lineage diversification. Chromatin mapping during pancreatic and hepatic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) revealed the en masse acquisition of a poised chromatin state at enhancers specific to endoderm-derived cell lineages in gut tube intermediates. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release Structure-Based Discovery of NANOG Variant with Enhanced Properties to Promote Self-Renewal and Reprogramming of Pluripotent Stem Cells Scientists determined the crystal structure of the human NANOG homeodomain bound to an OCT4 promoter DNA, which revealed amino acid residues involved in DNA recognition that are likely to be functionally important. Overexpression of the orthologous mouse NANOG mutants failed to maintain self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells without leukemia inhibitory factor. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract IGF-1 Signaling Plays an Important Role in the Formation of Three Dimensional Laminated Neural Retina and Other Ocular Structures from Human Embryonic Stem Cells Researchers report that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) can orchestrate the formation of three dimensional ocular-like structures from human embryonic stem cells which, in addition to retinal pigmented epithelium and neural retina, also contain primitive lens and corneal-like structures. [Stem Cells] Abstract Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (Gsk-3) Plays a Fundamental Role in Maintaining DNA Methylation at Imprinted Loci in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells The authors describe a novel role for Gsk-3 in the regulation of DNA methylation at imprinted loci in mouse embryonic stem cells, suggesting that epigenetic changes regulated by Gsk-3 are likely an unrecognized facet of Gsk-3 signaling. [Mol Biol Cell] Abstract Pig Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Neural Rosettes Developmentally Mimic Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Neural Differentiation Researchers report that pig induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can recapitulate events in early mammalian neural development. Pig iPSC line (POU5F1high/SSEA4low) had a higher potential to form neural rosettes containing neuroepithelial cells than either POU5F1low/SSEA4low or POU5F1low/SSEA4high lines. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract A Stable Chimeric Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) Can Successfully Replace Basic FGF in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Culture Scientists demonstrated that a heat-stable chimeric variant of FGF, termed FGFC, can be successfully used for maintaining human pluripotent stem cells. [PLoS One] Full Article Mitomycin-Treated Undifferentiated Embryonic Stem Cells as a Safe and Effective Therapeutic Strategy in a Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease. Investigators pre-treated undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) with the DNA alkylating agent mitomycin C (MMC) before transplantation. MMC treatment of cultures prevented tumor formation in a 12-week follow-up after mESCs were injected in nude mice. [Front Cell Neurosci] Abstract | Download Full Article | Press Release PDX1 Binds and Represses Hepatic Genes to Ensure Robust Pancreatic Commitment in Differentiating Human Embryonic Stem Cells Scientists simulated pancreatic development by differentiating human embryonic stem cells into early pancreatic progenitors and subjected this cell population to pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article Emergence of a Stage-Dependent Human Liver Disease Signature with Directed Differentiation of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin-Deficient iPS Cells Researchers developed a bioinformatic approach to detect differences between the genomic programs of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from diseased versus normal human cohorts as they emerged during in vitro directed differentiation. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract |