Roles for chromatin regulators during differentiation of embryonic stem cells
Name
806952865-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
37.65 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
920702291a1a0c87edc4a4190b38ff93
Author(s)
Whyte, Warren A. (Warren Anthony)
Advisor(s)
Richard A. Young.
Date Issued
2012
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Mammalian development involves the process by which a single fertilized egg develops into an adult with over 200 specialized cell types, each with a distinct gene expression pattern controlling its cellular state. As cells differentiate into specialized cell types, changes in the gene expression program occur with associated changes in chromatin. An understanding of the roles for chromatin regulators in the control of gene expression programs during differentiation is fundamental to understanding development. Although it is not yet feasible to elucidate the functions of all chromatin regulators in all vertebrate cells, recent work in embryonic stem (ES) cells has demonstrated that regulatory features of differentiation can be elucidated by focusing on the chromatin regulators involved in the changes in the pluripotent gene expression program as ES cells differentiate. New insights reveal that chromatin regulators of opposing functions share a common set of active genes in ES cells, suggesting a dynamic balance in the control of embryonic stem cell state and differentiation. I describe here the molecular mechanisms by which chromatin regulators contribute to the control of the ES cell state and differentiation, where these regulators play critical roles both in activating new gene expression programs and in silencing old programs.
Description
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Biology, 2012.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references.
Subjects
Biology.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology
Terms of Use
M.I.T. theses are protected by
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Persistent DSpace Link
