embryonic stem cells

[Reproductive Toxicology] To explore the developmental toxicity of 2,2',4,4'-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47), mouse ESCs, which are ideal models for testing the developmental toxicity of environmental contaminants in vitro, were exposed to BDE47 for 24 h or 48 h in this study.

[Nature Communications] Researchers identified a novel lncRNA Discn as the guardian of RPA availability in stem cells. Discn loss caused massive genome instability in mouse ESCs and neural stem/progenigor cells.

[Cell Reports] The authors found that genetic deletion of the four genes encoding the TCF/LEF transcription factors confered mouse ESCs (mESCs) with the ability to self-renew in N2B27 medium alone, identifying TCF/LEF effectors that mediated exit from the pluripotent state.

[Development] Researchers reported that the conjunct activity of two orphan nuclear receptors, Esrrb and Nr5a2, paralleled the importance of that of Oct4 and Sox2 in naïve mouse ESCs. By occupying a large common set of regulatory elements, these two factors controlled the binding of Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog to DNA.

[ACS Nano] Investigators developed hydrogels that enabledmouse ESCs (mESCs) to maintain stemness in vitro in the absence of both leukemia inhibitory factor and mouse embryonic fibroblasts, two critical factors in the standard protocol for mESC maintenance.

[Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine] Investigators established a simple method to convert human pluripotent stem cells into skeletal muscle cells by using temperature-sensitive Sendai virus vector encoding myoblast determination protein , a myogenic master transcription factor.