A gene expression signature shared by human mature oocytes and embryonic stem cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The first week of human pre-embryo development is characterized by the induction of totipotency and then pluripotency. The understanding of this delicate process will have far reaching implication for in vitro fertilization and regenerative medicine. Human mature MII oocytes and embryonic stem (ES) cells are both able to achieve the feat of cell reprogramming towards pluripotency, either by somatic cell nuclear transfer or by cell fusion, respectively. Comparison of the transcriptome of these two cell types may highlight genes that are involved in pluripotency initiation.

Results

Based on a microarray compendium of 205 samples, we compared the gene expression profile of mature MII oocytes and human ES cells (hESC) to that of somatic tissues. We identified a common

SUBMITTER: Assou S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2628676 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature