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Nature Cell Biology 9, 1343–1344 (1 December 2007) | doi:10.1038/ncb1207-1343

Ring around the genes

Tanya M. Spektor & Judd C. Rice

Embryonic stem (ES) cells derived from the inner cell mass of an early stage embryo are pluripotent: they possess an unlimited potential for self-renewal while retaining the ability to differentiate along any mature cell lineage. Once an ES cell commits to differentiate, global patterns of gene transcription shift from those involved in self-renewal to those associated with differentiation specific to the lineage chosen.