7/22/2023 0 Comments Totipotent cellThe zygote and blastomeres of the 2-cell-stage mouse embryo are totipotent: they have the ability to give rise to an embryo and all of its supportive extra-embryonic tissues. Totipotency is established concomitantly with epigenetic reprogramming after fertilization. In terms of developmental potential, a totipotent cell differs from a pluripotent cell by its ability to develop into an entire organism by itself (see Box 1 and the accompanying piece by Riveiro and Brickman, 2020). Here, we summarize current known features of these 2-cell-like cells (2CLCs) in an effort to provide a reference for the community, and to clarify what we know about their identity so far. However, the discovery of a rare subpopulation of cells in murine ESC cultures, possessing features of 2-cell embryo blastomeres and expanded cell fate potential, has provided a biochemically tractable model to enable the in vitro study of totipotency. In mice, only the zygote and the blastomeres of the 2-cell-stage embryo are truly totipotent, as they alone can develop to form the embryo and all of its supportive extra-embryonic tissues. Comparatively little is known about totipotency – a cellular state with greater developmental potential. Thanks to their ability to contribute to and form all tissues within the body, ESCs and iPSCs have proven invaluable in understanding pluripotent states, early embryonic development and cell differentiation, as well as in devising strategies for regenerative medicine. Currently, two main cell culture models predominate pluripotent stem cell research: embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
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