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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Cell Sorting of Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells from the Adult Mouse Subventricular Zone and Live-imaging of their Cell Cycle Dynamics

Cell Sorting of Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells from the Adult Mouse Subventricular Zone and Live-imaging of their Cell Cycle Dynamics

Published on: September 14, 2015

Cell cycle adaptations of embryonic stem cells.

Andrea Ballabeni¹, In-Hyun Park, Rui Zhao

¹Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|November 16, 2011

Summary

Mouse embryonic stem cells (ES cells) use high Emi1 protein levels to control anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) activity, enabling rapid cell cycles and DNA replication. This balance allows fast proliferation while maintaining differentiation potential.

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Cell Sorting of Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells from the Adult Mouse Subventricular Zone and Live-imaging of their Cell Cycle Dynamics

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Culture and Maintenance of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Culture and Maintenance of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Published on: December 22, 2009

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Molecular Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells exhibit rapid proliferation with short cell cycle gap phases.
Previous understanding suggested constitutively high Cdk activity and stable substrate levels for the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) in ES cells.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the regulation of the APC/C enzyme activity in mouse ES cells.
To understand how ES cells maintain rapid cell cycle progression and DNA replication capacity.

Main Methods:

Analysis of APC/C activity and its regulators, including Emi1 (early mitotic inhibitor-1).
Assessment of Cdk activity and its impact on DNA replication factors like Cdt1 and Mcm protein loading.
Comparison of cell cycle regulation in ES cells versus somatic cells.

Main Results:

APC/C is active in ES cells but its activity is attenuated by high levels of Emi1.
High Cdk activity in G1 phase does not prevent chromatin licensing for DNA replication.
Elevated Cdk activity in S-G2-M phases leads to increased Cdt1 and efficient Mcm loading post-mitosis.

Conclusions:

Mouse ES cells possess unique adaptations to balance Cdk and APC/C activity for rapid cell cycling.
High Emi1 levels are crucial for controlling APC/C activity, permitting fast DNA replication and cell division.
These adaptations facilitate the rapid proliferation characteristic of pluripotent stem cells.