Title:MicroRNA Regulation of Embryonic Stem Cell Pluripotency and Differentiation
Volume: 10
Issue: 5
Author(s): Xin Zhou, Xuedong Zhou and Liwei Zheng
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Embryonic stem cell, germ layer specification, microRNA, pluripotency.
Abstract: Embryonic stem cells (ES cells) hold great potential for regenerative medicine. Grasp of the
underlying elaborate machinery is required for clinical application. MicroRNAs serve as important
post-transcriptional regulators of various normal and pathological processes. Substantial headway has
been made in deciphering miRNAs’ roles in establishment, maintenance and exit from pluripotency in
ES cells. Here, we summarize current and ongoing research on microRNAs’ roles of pluripotency
maintenance and germ layer specification and possible mechanism to script the cell fate.