AsianScientist (Sep. 5, 2016) – Researchers in Japan have shown that certain primate stem cells have pluripotency, or the ability to differentiate into any kind of cell in the body, that is superior to some types derived from mice. The study was published in Nature.
Previously, only stem cells derived from early rodent embryos were known to possess the ultimate sort of pluripotency leading to differentiation into any kind of cell. This study maps how pluripotency differs among mice, monkeys, and humans, and illustrates for the first time a developmental counterpart of primate stem cells.
In the study, the Kyoto University team undertook a comprehensive analysis of genes expressed during embryo development in crab-eating monkeys, which are close relatives to humans. To do so, they developed a new technique that can detect miniscule amounts of gene transcripts, such as those that come from a single cell.
Using this detection method, the team identified gene sets that characterize embryo development in monkeys. They then compared how these genes were expressed in monkey embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotency stem cells, and observed similar patterns to monkey embryos one week after implantation.
“We found that gene expression changes most rapidly directly before and after implantation. Another finding was that monkey embryos maintain pluripotency for at least a week longer than mice after implantation,” said lead author Dr. Tomonori Nakamura.
“These together mean that primate pluripotent stem cells possess the same level of pluripotency as those of monkey embryos one week after implantation.”
The article can be found at: Nakamura et al. (2016) A Developmental Coordinate of Pluripotency among Mice, Monkeys and Humans.
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Source: Kyoto University.
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