【专题讨论】How to define Selfrenewal and Potency
Two basic characters of stem cells are defined as selfrenewal(proliferation) and pluri-(multi-)potency, which referred to the ability to proliferate without differentiation.
However,It is only reflection for Two Phenomena of stem cells we found. How much we know about selfrenewal? and how much about potency? We term it selfrenewal when we find the cells can proliferate with many generations in vitro, and call it pluripotent stem cells only because ES cells can incorporate to the embryos and help the development of all the three germ layers in vivo. But what's the mechanisms underlying them? How to define the molecular pathways related to? Do pluripotency overlap with Selfrenewal? Or is selfrenewal dependent on pluripotency? Or there's nothing related but just a coincidence?
This discussion will mainly focus on
1) the evidences for selfrenewal in pluri-, muliti- and uni- potent stem cells
2) proliferation ability of potent cells during development;
3) Do aberrant(cancer) cells have multi-(uni-) potency?
4) how do reprgramming cells (iPS cells) regain self-renewal and pluripotency
5) the relationship between Selfrenewal and Potency;
6) strategies to maintain selfrenewal without differentiation.
Please feel free to tell me how you think of it.
