scholarly journals Cell-cell communication through FGF4 generates and maintains robust proportions of differentiated cell fates in embryonic stem cells

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhruv Raina ◽  
Angel Stanoev ◽  
Azra Bahadori ◽  
Michelle Protzek ◽  
Aneta Koseska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cell Cell

AbstractDuring embryonic development and tissue homeostasis, reproducible proportions of differentiated cell types need to be specified from homogeneous precursor cell populations. How this is achieved despite uncertainty in initial conditions in the precursor cells, and how proportions are re-established upon perturbations in the developing tissue is not known. Here we report the differentiation of robust proportions of epiblast- and primitive endoderm-like cells from a wide range of experimentally controlled initial conditions in mouse embryonic stem cells. We demonstrate both experimentally and theoretically that recursive cell-cell communication via FGF4 establishes a population-based mechanism that generates and maintains robust proportions of differentiated cell types. Furthermore, we show that cell-cell communication re-establishes heterogeneous cell identities following the isolation of one cell type. The generation and maintenance of robust cell fate proportions is a new function for FGF signaling that may extend to other cell fate decisions.

scholarly journals Cell-cell communication through FGF4 generates and maintains robust proportions of differentiated cell types in embryonic stem cells

Development ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhruv Raina ◽  
Azra Bahadori ◽  
Angel Stanoev ◽  
Michelle Protzek ◽  
Aneta Koseska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Precursor Cells ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cell Cell

During embryonic development and tissue homeostasis, reproducible proportions of differentiated cell types are specified from populations of multipotent precursor cells. Molecular mechanisms that enable both robust cell type proportioning despite variable initial conditions in the precursor cells, as well as the re-establishment of these proportions upon perturbations in a developing tissue remain to be characterised. Here we report that the differentiation of robust proportions of epiblast-like and primitive endoderm-like cells in mouse embryonic stem cell cultures emerges at the population level through cell-cell communication via a short-range FGF4 signal. We characterise the molecular and dynamical properties of the communication mechanism, and show how it controls both robust cell type proportioning from a wide range of experimentally controlled initial conditions, as well as the autonomous re-establishment of these proportions following the isolation of one cell type. The generation and maintenance of reproducible proportions of discrete cell types is a new function for FGF signalling that may operate in a range of developing tissues.

scholarly journals Regulated Fluctuations in Nanog Expression Mediate Cell Fate Decisions in Embryonic Stem Cells

PLoS Biology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. e1000149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tibor Kalmar ◽  
Chea Lim ◽  
Penelope Hayward ◽  
Silvia Muñoz-Descalzo ◽  
Jennifer Nichols ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Nanog Expression ◽  
Mediate Cell

Tyrosine kinase signalling in embryonic stem cells

2008 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Annerén
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Tyrosine Kinases ◽  
Es Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Mouse Es Cells ◽  
Wide Range

Pluripotent ES (embryonic stem) cells can be expanded in culture and induced to differentiate into a wide range of cell types. Self-renewal of ES cells involves proliferation with concomitant suppression of differentiation. Some critical and conserved pathways regulating self-renewal in both human and mouse ES cells have been identified, but there is also evidence suggesting significant species differences. Cytoplasmic and receptor tyrosine kinases play important roles in proliferation, survival, self-renewal and differentiation in stem, progenitor and adult cells. The present review focuses on the role of tyrosine kinase signalling for maintenance of the undifferentiated state, proliferation, survival and early differentiation of ES cells.

scholarly journals Genetic control of pluripotency epigenome determines differentiation bias in mouse embryonic stem cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Candice Byers ◽  
Catrina Spruce ◽  
Haley J. Fortin ◽  
Anne Czechanski ◽  
Steven C. Munger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Genetic Regulation ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Embryoid Bodies ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions

AbstractGenetically diverse pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) display varied, heritable responses to differentiation cues in the culture environment. By harnessing these disparities through derivation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from the BXD mouse genetic reference panel, along with C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) parental strains, we demonstrate genetically determined biases in lineage commitment and identify major regulators of the pluripotency epigenome. Upon transition to formative pluripotency using epiblast-like cells (EpiLCs), B6 quickly dissolves naïve networks adopting gene expression modules indicative of neuroectoderm lineages; whereas D2 retains aspects of naïve pluripotency with little bias in differentiation. Genetic mapping identifies 6 major trans-acting loci co-regulating chromatin accessibility and gene expression in ESCs and EpiLCs, indicating a common regulatory system impacting cell state transition. These loci distally modulate occupancy of pluripotency factors, including TRIM28, P300, and POU5F1, at hundreds of regulatory elements. One trans-acting locus on Chr 12 primarily impacts chromatin accessibility in ESCs; while in EpiLCs the same locus subsequently influences gene expression, suggesting early chromatin priming. Consequently, the distal gene targets of this locus are enriched for neurogenesis genes and were more highly expressed when cells carried B6 haplotypes at this Chr 12 locus, supporting genetic regulation of biases in cell fate. Spontaneous formation of embryoid bodies validated this with B6 showing a propensity towards neuroectoderm differentiation and D2 towards definitive endoderm, confirming the fundamental importance of genetic variation influencing cell fate decisions.

scholarly journals miR-142-3p Contributes to Early Cardiac Fate Decision of Embryonic Stem Cells

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhong-Yan Chen ◽  
Fei Chen ◽  
Nan Cao ◽  
Zhi-Wen Zhou ◽  
Huang-Tian Yang
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Marker Gene ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cardiomyocyte Differentiation ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Mirna Array ◽  
Fate Decision

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in cell fate decisions. However, the miRNAs and their targets involved in the regulation of cardiac lineage specification are largely unexplored. Here, we report novel functions of miR-142-3p in the regulation of cardiomyocyte differentiation from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). With a miRNA array screen, we identified a number of miRNAs significantly changed during mESC differentiation into the mesodermal and cardiac progenitor cells, and miR-142-3p was one among the markedly downregulated miRNAs. Ectopic expression and inhibition of miR-142-3p did not alter the characteristics of undifferentiated ESCs, whereas ectopic expression of miR-142-3p impaired cardiomyocyte formation. In addition, ectopic expression of miR-142-3p inhibited the expression of a cardiac mesodermal marker gene Mesp1 and downstream cardiac transcription factors Nkx2.5, Tbx5, and Mef2c but not the expression of three germ layer-specific genes. We further demonstrated that miR-142-3p targeted the 3′-untranslated region of Mef2c. These results reveal miR-142-3p as an important regulator of early cardiomyocyte differentiation. Our findings provide new knowledge for further understanding of roles and mechanisms of miRNAs as critical regulators of cardiomyocyte differentiation.

scholarly journals Comparison of syncytiotrophoblast generated from human embryonic stem cells and from term placentas

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (19) ◽  
pp. E2598-E2607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinichiro Yabe ◽  
Andrei P. Alexenko ◽  
Mitsuyoshi Amita ◽  
Ying Yang ◽  
Danny J. Schust ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Human Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Uterine Wall ◽  
Gene Marker ◽  
Human Escs ◽  
Human Trophoblast ◽  
Wide Range

Human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) readily commit to the trophoblast lineage after exposure to bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) and two small compounds, an activin A signaling inhibitor and a FGF2 signaling inhibitor (BMP4/A83-01/PD173074; BAP treatment). During differentiation, areas emerge within the colonies with the biochemical and morphological features of syncytiotrophoblast (STB). Relatively pure fractions of mononucleated cytotrophoblast (CTB) and larger syncytial sheets displaying the expected markers of STB can be obtained by differential filtration of dispersed colonies through nylon strainers. RNA-seq analysis of these fractions has allowed them to be compared with cytotrophoblasts isolated from term placentas before and after such cells had formed syncytia. Although it is clear from extensive gene marker analysis that both ESC- and placenta-derived syncytial cells are trophoblast, each with the potential to transport a wide range of solutes and synthesize placental hormones, their transcriptome profiles are sufficiently dissimilar to suggest that the two cell types have distinct pedigrees and represent functionally different kinds of STB. We propose that the STB generated from human ESCs represents the primitive syncytium encountered in early pregnancy soon after the human trophoblast invades into the uterine wall.

scholarly journals Bdh2 Deficiency Promotes Endoderm-Biased Early Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuting Fu ◽  
Fangyuan Liu ◽  
Shuo Cao ◽  
Jia Zhang ◽  
Huizhi Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Iron Homeostasis ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Rate Limiting Step ◽  
Fate Decision

3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase-2 (Bdh2), a short-chain dehydrogenase, catalyzes a rate-limiting step in the biogenesis of the mammalian siderophore, playing a key role in iron homeostasis, energy metabolism and apoptosis. However, the function of Bdh2 in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) remains unknown. To gain insights into the role of Bdh2 on pluripotency and cell fate decisions of mouse ESCs, we generated Bdh2 homozygous knockout lines for both mouse advanced embryonic stem cell (ASC) and ESC using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology. Bdh2 deficiency in both ASCs and ESCs had no effect on expression of core pluripotent transcription factors and alkaline phosphatase activity, suggesting dispensability of Bdh2 for self-renewal and pluripotency of ESCs. Interestingly, cells with Bdh2 deficiency exhibited potency of endoderm differentiation in vitro; with upregulated endoderm associated genes revealed by RNA-seq and RT-qPCR. We further demonstrate that Bdh2 loss inhibited expression of multiple methyltransferases (DNMTs) at both RNA and protein level, suggesting that Bdh2 may be essentially required to maintain DNA methylation in ASCs and ESCs. Overall, this study provides valuable data and resources for understanding how Bdh2 regulate earliest cell fate decision and DNA methylation in ASCs/ESCs.

scholarly journals O-GlcNAcylation of Sox2 at threonine 258 regulates the self-renewal and early cell fate of embryonic stem cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Keon Kim ◽  
Jang-Seok Lee ◽  
Eun Young Lee ◽  
Hansol Jang ◽  
Suji Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Rna Sequencing ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Cartilage Tissue ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions

AbstractSox2 is a core transcription factor in embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and O-GlcNAcylation is a type of post-translational modification of nuclear-cytoplasmic proteins. Although both factors play important roles in the maintenance and differentiation of ESCs and the serine 248 (S248) and threonine 258 (T258) residues of Sox2 are modified by O-GlcNAcylation, the function of Sox2 O-GlcNAcylation is unclear. Here, we show that O-GlcNAcylation of Sox2 at T258 regulates mouse ESC self-renewal and early cell fate. ESCs in which wild-type Sox2 was replaced with the Sox2 T258A mutant exhibited reduced self-renewal, whereas ESCs with the Sox2 S248A point mutation did not. ESCs with the Sox2 T258A mutation heterologously introduced using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, designated E14-Sox2TA/WT, also exhibited reduced self-renewal. RNA sequencing analysis under self-renewal conditions showed that upregulated expression of early differentiation genes, rather than a downregulated expression of self-renewal genes, was responsible for the reduced self-renewal of E14-Sox2TA/WT cells. There was a significant decrease in ectodermal tissue and a marked increase in cartilage tissue in E14-Sox2TA/WT-derived teratomas compared with normal E14 ESC-derived teratomas. RNA sequencing of teratomas revealed that genes related to brain development had generally downregulated expression in the E14-Sox2TA/WT-derived teratomas. Our findings using the Sox2 T258A mutant suggest that Sox2 T258 O-GlcNAc has a positive effect on ESC self-renewal and plays an important role in the proper development of ectodermal lineage cells. Overall, our study directly links O-GlcNAcylation and early cell fate decisions.

scholarly journals A single-cell resolved cell-cell communication model explains lineage commitment in hematopoiesis

Development ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 148 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan K. Rommelfanger ◽  
Adam L. MacLean
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Communication Model ◽  
Cell Fate Decision ◽  
Cell Coupling ◽  
Environmental Signals ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fate Decision ◽  
Cell Cell

ABSTRACT Cells do not make fate decisions independently. Arguably, every cell-fate decision occurs in response to environmental signals. In many cases, cell-cell communication alters the dynamics of the internal gene regulatory network of a cell to initiate cell-fate transitions, yet models rarely take this into account. Here, we have developed a multiscale perspective to study the granulocyte-monocyte versus megakaryocyte-erythrocyte fate decisions. This transition is dictated by the GATA1-PU.1 network: a classical example of a bistable cell-fate system. We show that, for a wide range of cell communication topologies, even subtle changes in signaling can have pronounced effects on cell-fate decisions. We go on to show how cell-cell coupling through signaling can spontaneously break the symmetry of a homogenous cell population. Noise, both intrinsic and extrinsic, shapes the decision landscape profoundly, and affects the transcriptional dynamics underlying this important hematopoietic cell-fate decision-making system. This article has an associated ‘The people behind the papers’ interview.

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