"The role of signaling pathways in the maintenance of pluripotency and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells"

Abstract

Embryonic stem cells are isolated from the inner cell mass of the early pre-implantation embryo and, like all stem cells, they can self-renew and differentiate. Because ESCs are pluripotent in terms of developmental potential, they are able to differentiate into all three germ layers (exoderm, mesoderm, endoderm) which give rise to all somatic cell types. The property of pluripotency has been extensively studied to elucidate the mechanisms involved in embryogenesis and for establishing clinical applications (e.g. tissue regeneration) as well. In this thesis, the structure and regulation of major signalling pathways involved in pluripotency maintenance, in human and mouse embryonic stem cells, are presented. In addition, the pluripotency transcription factor network, that is activated downstream to the signalling path, is analysed and stimuli-sensitive feedback mechanisms are also presented.

ASIMAKI Konstantina