Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Combinatorial Gene Control

Combinatorial Gene Control

Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...

Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation

Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation

The development of all multicellular organisms starts with the fusion of haploid cells called sperm and egg to form a diploid zygote. A zygote is a totipotent cell that can develop into a complete organism. The zygote undergoes cell division or cleavage to form an 8-cell mass. Until this stage, the cells are spherical, loosely attached, and remain totipotent. Totipotent cells are capable of developing both the embryonic and the extraembryonic tissues. However, as they continue to divide, they...

Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming

Somatic 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...

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

Maintenance 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...

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Mechanisms coordinating exit from the stem cell state in mammals.

Genes & development·2026

Same author

A framework for the exploration of subcellular compartmentalization of RNA-binding proteins.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Unbalanced chromatin binding of Polycomb complexes drives neurodevelopmental disorders.

Molecular cell·2026

Same author

Primate lineage specification requires suppression of Alu hyperediting.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Selective RNA sequestration in biomolecular condensates directs cell fate transitions.

Nature biotechnology·2025

Same author

Chromatin activity of IκBα mediates the exit from naïve pluripotency.

eLife·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Published on: July 22, 2008

Polycomb complexes in stem cells and embryonic development.

Luigi Aloia¹, Bruno Di Stefano, Luciano Di Croce

¹Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), and UPF, Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona,Spain.

Development (Cambridge, England)

|May 30, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are crucial epigenetic regulators. Recent studies reveal their diverse roles in cell development, stem cell function, and cell reprogramming, highlighting specific PcG complex functions.

Keywords:

Differentiation Polycomb Self-renewal Stem cells Transcription

More Related Videos

Oct4GiP Reporter Assay to Study Genes that Regulate Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Maintenance and Self-renewal

Oct4GiP Reporter Assay to Study Genes that Regulate Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Maintenance and Self-renewal

Published on: May 30, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 11, 2026

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Published on: July 22, 2008

Oct4GiP Reporter Assay to Study Genes that Regulate Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Maintenance and Self-renewal

Oct4GiP Reporter Assay to Study Genes that Regulate Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Maintenance and Self-renewal

Published on: May 30, 2012

Area of Science:

Epigenetics
Developmental Biology
Stem Cell Biology

Background:

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are epigenetic modifiers essential for gene repression.
They function in multiprotein complexes to regulate developmental genes across various cell types and contexts.
PcG proteins are critical for cell fate transitions and proper organismal development.

Purpose of the Study:

To summarize recent advancements in understanding Polycomb group protein complex diversity.
To highlight the specific roles of PcG proteins in embryonic development, pluripotency, and cell reprogramming.
To review findings on PcG protein functions in multipotent stem cells.

Main Methods:

Literature review of recent breakthroughs in Polycomb group protein research.
Analysis of studies focusing on PcG complexes in different cellular and genomic contexts.
Synthesis of data on PcG protein functions in embryonic, pluripotent, and multipotent stem cells.

Main Results:

Recent research has uncovered significant diversity in PcG complexes across different cell types and genomic locations.
Specific PcG proteins exhibit distinct functions during embryonic development, in maintaining pluripotency of stem cells, and in reprogramming somatic cells.
PcG protein functions have been elucidated in various multipotent stem cell populations, including neural, hematopoietic, and epidermal stem cells.

Conclusions:

Polycomb group proteins and their complexes display remarkable functional specificity depending on the cellular and genomic context.
Understanding PcG protein diversity is key to deciphering their roles in development, stem cell biology, and regenerative medicine.
Further investigation into PcG proteins will likely yield insights into controlling cell fate and development.