New EMBO Members Review
- The EMBO Journal (2005) 24, 2715 - 2719
- doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7600749
Published online: 21 July 2005
Subject Categories:
Deconstructing stemness
Harald Mikkers1 and Jonas Frisén1
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Nobel Institute, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Correspondence to:
Jonas Frisén, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Medical Nobel Institute, Karolinska Institute, Box 285, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: +46 8 524 87562; Fax: +46 8 324927; E-mail: jonas.frisen@cmb.ki.se
Received 9 May 2005; Accepted 24 June 2005
Abstract
Stem cells are unique in their capacity to self-renew and generate differentiated progeny to maintain tissues throughout life. A common molecular program for stem cells has remained elusive. We discuss what the molecular logic of stemness may be. We suggest that it may not be coupled to distinct cellular properties such as self-renewal or multipotency, but rather to the stable suspension at a specific developmental stage. In this view, the stem cell niche allows a cell to maintain a transcriptional accessibility enabling the generation of specific differentiated progeny.
Keywords:
- development,
- multipotency,
- progenitor,
- self-renewal,
- stem cell,
- transcriptome
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