TY - JOUR T1 - Defining the genomic signature of totipotency and pluripotency during early human development. JF - PLoS One Y1 - 2013 A1 - Galan, Amparo A1 - Diaz-Gimeno, Patricia A1 - Poo, Maria Eugenia A1 - Valbuena, Diana A1 - Sanchez, Eva A1 - Ruiz, Veronica A1 - Dopazo, Joaquin A1 - Montaner, David A1 - Conesa, Ana A1 - Simon, Carlos KW - Blastocyst Inner Cell Mass KW - Blastomeres KW - Cell Differentiation KW - Embryonic Development KW - Embryonic Stem Cells KW - Gene Expression Profiling KW - Gene Regulatory Networks KW - Genome, Human KW - Humans KW - Molecular Sequence Annotation KW - Pluripotent Stem Cells KW - Totipotent Stem Cells AB -

The genetic mechanisms governing human pre-implantation embryo development and the in vitro counterparts, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), still remain incomplete. Previous global genome studies demonstrated that totipotent blastomeres from day-3 human embryos and pluripotent inner cell masses (ICMs) from blastocysts, display unique and differing transcriptomes. Nevertheless, comparative gene expression analysis has revealed that no significant differences exist between hESCs derived from blastomeres versus those obtained from ICMs, suggesting that pluripotent hESCs involve a new developmental progression. To understand early human stages evolution, we developed an undifferentiation network signature (UNS) and applied it to a differential gene expression profile between single blastomeres from day-3 embryos, ICMs and hESCs. This allowed us to establish a unique signature composed of highly interconnected genes characteristic of totipotency (61 genes), in vivo pluripotency (20 genes), and in vitro pluripotency (107 genes), and which are also proprietary according to functional analysis. This systems biology approach has led to an improved understanding of the molecular and signaling processes governing human pre-implantation embryo development, as well as enabling us to comprehend how hESCs might adapt to in vitro culture conditions.

VL - 8 IS - 4 U1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23614026?dopt=Abstract ER -