In Embryonic Stem Cells gene inactivation can have a totally new meaning

**Embryonic stem cells** (ESC) can both **self-renew** or **differentiate** into the many cells of the organism and is crucial to understand the mechanism behind this capability if we want to use them in clinic. **Developmental regulator genes** are responsible for the activation of ESC many differentiation-pathways and, as such, they are a fundamental key to understand them. Research about to be published in Nature Cell Biology, reveals that these genes -always believed to be inactive in ESC before differentiation start - when apparently silent (non-active) are in fact poised on the first steps of gene activation unable to go further due to the presence of repressor molecules. "AlphaGalileo":[ http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?_rss=1&fuseaction=readrelease&releaseid=525327]

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