Elsevier

Developmental Biology

Volume 284, Issue 1, 1 August 2005, Pages 1-11
Developmental Biology

Review
BMP signaling and stem cell regulation

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2005.05.009Get rights and content
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Abstract

Stem cells play an essential role in cellular specialization and pattern formation during embryogenesis and in tissue regeneration in adults. This is mainly due to a stem cell's ability to replenish itself (self-renewal) and, at the same time, produce differentiated progeny. Realization of these special stem cell features has changed the prospective of the field. However, regulation of stem cell self-renewal and maintenance of its potentiality require a complicated regulatory network of both extracellular cues and intrinsic programs. Understanding how signaling regulates stem cell behavior will shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell self-renewal. In this review, we focus on comparing the progress of recent research regarding the roles of the BMP signaling pathway in different stem cell systems, including embryonic stem cells, germline stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and intestinal stem cells. We hope this comparison, together with a brief look at other signaling pathways, will bring a more balanced view of BMP signaling in regulation of stem cell properties, and further point to a general principle that self-renewal of stem cells may require a combination of maintenance of proliferation potential, inhibition of apoptosis, and blocking of differentiation.

Keywords

BMP
Stem cell
Embryonic stem cell
Germline stem cell
Hematopoietic stem cell
Intestinal stem cell

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