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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
10:36
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation from Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Published on: July 22, 2008
Chromatin states in pluripotent, differentiated, and reprogrammed cells
Cynthia L Fisher1, Amanda G Fisher
1Lymphocyte Development Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
|February 15, 2011
Summary
Embryonic stem cell pluripotency relies on transcription and chromatin factors. Reprogramming somatic cells helps study how these chromatin factors establish and maintain pluripotency.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Epigenetics
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Pluripotency in embryonic stem cells is regulated by transcription factors and chromatin remodelers.
- Polycomb and trithorax Group proteins establish bivalent chromatin at lineage-specific genes, poising them for differentiation.
- Cell differentiation involves chromatin condensation, increased repressive histone modifications, altered subnuclear organization, and DNA methylation changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of chromatin-based factors in establishing and maintaining pluripotency.
- To understand the epigenetic mechanisms underlying cell state transitions.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on stem cell biology and epigenetics.
- Analysis of chromatin remodeling factors, histone modifications, and DNA methylation in pluripotent and differentiating cells.
Main Results:
- Core transcription factors and chromatin remodelers are essential for maintaining pluripotency.
- Bivalent chromatin structures are crucial for poised gene activation during differentiation.
- Epigenetic modifications and subnuclear organization undergo significant changes during differentiation.
Conclusions:
- Chromatin-based factors play a critical role in regulating pluripotency and differentiation.
- Somatic cell reprogramming is a valuable model for studying epigenetic regulation of pluripotency.
Related Concept Videos
01:32Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells
Chromatin modification alters gene expression; therefore, scientists can add histone-modifying enzymes, histone variants, and chromatin remodeling complexes to somatic cells to aid reprogramming into pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...
01:14Maintenance of the ES Cell State
The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...
01:29Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming
Reprogramming alters the gene expression in somatic cells, transforming them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells over several generations. Scientists can reprogram cells by introducing genes for four transcription factors—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) by viral or non-viral methods. These factors are also known as Yamanaka factors after Shinya Yamanaka, who first generated iPS cells using mouse skin cells. Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012 for this...
03:17Inheritance of Chromatin Structures
Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying DNA...
01:24Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming
Nuclear reprogramming is a process of transforming one cell type into an unrelated cell type by epigenetic changes that alter the cell’s original gene expression pattern. Such epigenetic changes force cells to express a different set of genes, which play a significant role in inducing transformation into other cell types. Nuclear reprogramming offers applications in reproductive cloning for livestock propagation and regenerative medicine — developing patient-specific cells for injury repair.
01:01Euchromatin
The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions take up more dye, appearing darker, while the less-compact areas take up less dye and appear lighter. Based on the compaction level, chromatins are classified into two primary forms – euchromatin and heterochromatin.
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...