GATA转录因子家族在细胞命运调控中的作用

The Function of GATA Family in Cell Fate Determination

在胚胎发育过程中,组织器官的形成依赖于干细胞在空间与时间上正确的定向分化、增殖,以及中间细胞的凋亡.这一细胞命运决定的过程必须被严格精确地调控,从而保证胚胎发育过程中组织器官形成得以顺利地进行.在此过程中,GATA转录因子家族扮演了不可或缺的角色,它们在胚层分化、造血系统和心脏形成、胸腺和肠道发育以及肿瘤发生中都起到了重要的作用.本文结合目前对GATA转录因子家族的研究和本课题组实验结果,介绍其在干细胞分化和维持,以及它们在细胞重编程中所起的作用.

During the process of embryo development, formation of tissues and organs is strongly dependent on the correctly temporal-spatial differentiation and proliferation of stem cells, as well as apoptosis of intermediate cells. The processes of cell fate determination require sophisticated coordination, in order to promise the appropriate morphogenesis of tissues and organs during embryo development. GATA transcription factors play essential roles in this process, for example, in germ layer determination, hematopoietic system and cardiac formation, and also function in the genesis of thymus, intestine and tumor. Based on the current findings and combined with our research, this review will introduce the important function of GATA transcription factors in maintenance and differentiation of stem cells, as well as in cell reprogramming.