A team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has applied a new theory to learn how and why cells differentiate into different types. The findings, published in the journal Nature Genetics, could lead to new ways to treat diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
Cell differentiation is the process by which stem cells develop into mature cells with specific functions. For example, stem cells can differentiate into brain cells, heart cells, or muscle cells. The process of cell differentiation is controlled by a complex network of genes and proteins.
Traditional models of cell differentiation have focused on how individual genes regulate the expression of other genes. However, the new theory, called the "hierarchy of transcription factors," suggests that cell differentiation is controlled by a small number of master transcription factors that regulate the expression of many other genes.
Transcription factors are proteins that bind to DNA and control the expression of genes. The hierarchy of transcription factors suggests that a small number of master transcription factors are at the top of the hierarchy and control the expression of other transcription factors, which in turn control the expression of genes that encode proteins.
The researchers tested the hierarchy of transcription factors theory by studying how mouse embryonic stem cells differentiate into neural stem cells. They found that a small number of master transcription factors were responsible for the initial steps in neural differentiation. These master transcription factors then activated the expression of other transcription factors, which in turn activated the expression of genes that encoded proteins involved in neural development.
The findings provide new insights into how cell differentiation is controlled. This could lead to new ways to treat diseases such as cancer and diabetes, which are characterized by abnormal cell differentiation.
"By understanding how cells differentiate, we can learn how to control the process and use it to our advantage," said study senior author Huda Zoghbi, MD, a professor of pediatrics, neurology, and biochemistry at UCSF. "This could lead to new treatments for diseases such as cancer and diabetes."
