FIND ARTICLE

INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS HOPES, FEARS AND VISIONS

In 2006 first paper describing reprogramming of fibroblast into pluripotent cell, i.e. one that is able to differentiate into all tissues was published. Before that spectacular achievement many projects devoted to study the mechanisms of cell de-differentiation led to the establishment of animal cloning techniques and also derivation of embryonic stem cell lines. Present review summarizes the history of these studies and also describes pioneer works leading to derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells, current methods of reprogramming, and possible applications of these cells.

HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS REGULATION OF PLURIPOTENCY AND DIFFERENTIATION

Embryonic stem (ES) cells derived from preimplantation embryos at the blastocyst stage are unique in their unlimited self-renewal ability and pluripotency allowing their differentiation into any cell type. For these reasons ES cells are considered as a perfect material for basic research on their differentiation capacities, and also for the studies devoted to the development of novel therapies. This article focuses at the mechanisms regulating ES cells pluripotency, self-renewal, and also influencing their differentiation.

THE ROLE OF CYTOSTATIC ACTIVITY IN MEIOTIC MATURATION OF MAMMALIAN OOCYTES

Maturing vertebrate oocytes become arrested in metaphase of the second meiotic division. These oocytes are ovulated, and then can be activated by sperm or parthenogenetic stimulus. Metaphase arrest is mediated by the cytostatic activity – CSF, that prevents the inactivation of the major M-phase regulator i.e. CDK1-cyclin B kinase. CSF inactivation seems to be necessary for the completion of the second meiotic division and the initiation of the embryonic development. Analysis of amphibian oocyte maturation led to the discovery of factors crucial for the CSF activation.

The Editorial Board
Andrzej Łukaszyk - przewodniczący, Zofia Bielańska-Osuchowska, Szczepan Biliński, Mieczysław Chorąży, Aleksander Koj, Włodzimierz Korochoda, Leszek Kuźnicki, Aleksandra Stojałowska, Lech Wojtczak

Editorial address:
Katedra i Zakład Histologii i Embriologii Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, ul. Święcickiego 6, 60-781 Poznań, tel. +48 61 8546453, fax. +48 61 8546440, email: mnowicki@ump.edu.pl

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