Sall4 won’t give stem cells a break

Sall4 won’t give stem cells a break

A protein that helps embryonic stem cells (ESCs) retain their identity also induces the cells to repair DNA damage, Xiong et al. report. Fixing broken DNA is particularly important for ESCs because they pass on any mutations to their differentiated descendants. Mouse ESCs are adept at making repairs—they carry far fewer mutations than do differentiated cells—but how they achieve this isn’t clea...

Fetal dendritic cells give mum a break.

HEMATOPOIESIS AND STEM CELLS SALL4 is a robust stimulator for the expansion of hematopoietic stem cells

HSCs are rare cells that have the unique ability to self-renew and differentiate into cells of all hematopoietic lineages. The lack of donors and current inability to rapidly and efficiently expand HSCs are roadblocks in the development of successful cell therapies. Thus, the challenge of ex vivo human HSC expansion remains a fertile and critically important area of investigation. Here, we show...

Comparing the Expression Levels of Alkaline Phosphatase, Gfra1, Lin28, and Sall4 Genes in Embryonic Stem Cells, Spermatogonial Stem Cells, and Embryonic Stem-Like Cells in Mice

Background and purpose: Spermatogenesis is a well-organized process that is influenced by a variety of factors. Alkaline phosphatase, and Gfra1, Lin28, and Sall4 genes are among the key players in this interconnected process. This study aimed to investigate the expression levels of Gfra1, Lin28, and Sall4 genes in embryonic, spermatogonial, and embryonic stem-like (ES-like) cells in mice. Mate...

Immortal Strands? Give Me a Break

The "immortal strand" hypothesis proposes that asymmetrically dividing stem cells selectively retain chromosomes containing "old" DNA to prevent accumulation of mutations. As I describe in this Essay, such a possibility seems unlikely. An alternative explanation is that asymmetric cell divisions and cell fate are codirected by epigenetic differences between sister chromatids.