Since decades it has been known that non-protein-coding RNAs have important cellular
functions. Deep sequencing recently facilitated the discovery of thousands of novel …

The discovery of somatic cell nuclear transfer proved that somatic cells can carry the same
genetic code as the zygote, and that activating parts of this code are sufficient to reprogram …

The physiological identity of every cell is maintained by highly specific transcriptional
networks that establish a coherent molecular program that is in tune with nutritional …

DNA methylation is a heritable epigenetic modification involved in gene silencing,
imprinting, and the suppression of retrotransposons. Global DNA demethylation occurs in …

The development of iPSCs reflected the merging of three major scientific streams and has in
turn led to additional new branches of investigation. However, there is still debate about …

X chromosome inactivation and genomic imprinting are classic epigenetic processes that
cause disease when not appropriately regulated in mammals. Whereas X chromosome …

DNA hydroxymethylation and its mediated DNA demethylation are critical for multiple
cellular processes, for example, nuclear reprogramming, embryonic development, and many …

Recent advances in metabolomics and computational analysis have deepened our
appreciation for the role of specific metabolic pathways in dictating cell fate. Once thought to …

The induction of pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by defined factors is poorly understood
stepwise. Here, we show that histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation is the primary …

Conversion of somatic cells to pluripotency by defined factors is a long and complex process
that yields embryonic-stem-cell-like cells that vary in their developmental potential. To …