Signaling pathways influencing stem cell self-renewal and differentiation

Abstract Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) isolated from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst have the ability to self-renew and to differentiate into all three germ layers. Due to these properties, ESCs have been considered a powerful model system to study early developmental events and have a great potential for tissue repair, regeneration, and disease modeling. To fulfill the potential of ESCs, it is necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying ESC fate. In this chapter, we discuss various signaling pathways involved in the self-renewal and differentiation of both mouse and human ESCs. This chapter focuses on how these pathways control ESC fate by responding to various extrinsic stimuli, and how these pathways integrate to form ESC-specific regulatory networks. This will help us understand common molecular mechanisms regulating the self-renewal and differentiation of ESCs.