Embryonic Stem Cells

Evidence that gene activation and silencing during stem cell differentiation requires a transcriptionally paused intermediate state

A surprising portion of both mammalian and Drosophila genomes are transcriptionally paused, undergoing initiation without elongation. We tested the hypothesis that transcriptional pausing is an obligate transition state between definitive activation …

Chromatin remodeling during mouse and human embryonic stem cell differentiation

Embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation is an excellent model to study chromatin changes at developmentally regulated loci. Differentiating mouse and human ESCs increase genome-wide acetylation (euchromatic) and tri-methylation (heterochromatic) of …

Biphasic role for Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in cardiac specification in zebrafish and embryonic stem cells

Understanding pathways controlling cardiac development may offer insights that are useful for stem cell-based cardiac repair. Developmental studies indicate that the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway negatively regulates cardiac differentiation, whereas …